Sucessors: Evil three, bad apple?
by TheUnfairestofthemAll
Summary: Daughter of the infamous Evil Queen, Raven was destined to be the villainous sorceress who conquers kingdoms with her dark magic... But this rebellious dreamer doesn't had it in her to be evil. Raven was kind, compassionate, and too often misunderstood because of her mother's dark legacy.
1. Prologue of DOOM!

The Great Hall of Ever After High smelled of floor wax and old stone mixed with the tangy musk of magic. The fire in the hearth burned blue. An enchanted frog sat beside the arched doorway, repeating:

 _— Welcome to the Legacy Day ceremony. Please watch your step. Crrrroak._

The last-year's students passed the frog - some tripping on the step - and walked solemnly outside. On the castle terrace, the audience waited in gelded chairs. Beyond a stream-carved ravine, the Enchanted Forest twinkled with the bright trails of fairies trails. But the students hadn't gathered on the terrace for the view. All eyes were on Headmaster Grimm, standing on the podium. He smoothed his gray-turning-white hair and smiled at the audience.

He held up the Storybook of the Legends so all could see. Magic sparked off it gold-embossed cover like glitter in a whirlwind.

 _— Today is the most important day in Ever After High, indeed, the most important day in the entire Fairy Tales Kingdom._

The audience cheered.

— _This year, Legacy Day is your day_ — the headmaster said to the last-year's students, who were lined up before the stairs to the podium. They were dressed in the formal Legacy Day outfits, beautiful ball gowns, regal prince suits, mermaid dresses dripping salty puddles.

— T _oday you take the first step in the claiming your glorious fairy tales legacies. Once you sign the Storybook of the Legends, you're magically bond to your parent's story. You will relive it. In this way, your story, your legacy, and your very life, will be preserved._

The headmaster placed the book carefully on the podium and stepped back.

The first student to climb the stairs rode on the back of a mouse all the way up the side of the podium. The tiny boy leaped off the mouse and declared his destiny as the next Tom Thumb. His signature in the book was a blot the size of an ant.

The daughter of the fairy godmother pushed her glasses up her nose and signed her promise to become the next Cinderella's helper.

A future witch wore her mother's black dress and pointy hat, but emerald flip-flops peeked from beneath the ragged hem. She signed with a frown, hastily wiping a tear off her cheek.

While everyone watched with interest, two in the audience barely breathed. They barely blinked. One leaned forward, yearning for her chance to sign. The other leaned back, as if nervous to get too close. Both would take their turn at the book in just a few seconds. And one's choice would change the Fairy Tales World forever.


	2. Don't Touch the Mirror (Resumption)

You know what they saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same?" So not true. Sometimes the more things change, the more they really change. Take me for example: Ravenna Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen. You see, at Ever After High, we studied to be the next generation of fairytales. Whoever your parent was, that's who you will be. Apple White was going to be the next Snow White. Briar Rose Beauty was going to be the next Sleeping Beauty. Ramona Badwolf was going to be the next Big Bad Wolf. Our "wise" Headmaster Grimm called it our "storybook destiny". And, lucky at me, my destiny was to be the next Evil Queen.

So was I supposed to smile like the Cheshire Cat because I get to be most feared villain in fairytale history? I'm not evil! I don't even like squishing spiders! And now I'm expected to give a poisoned apple to Apple White? But, as my mom used to say, "We all have a role to play." She had to be the Evil Queen, and now so do I... Or do I? The truth is the script was flipped and it is my fault. You know what's wicked crazy? It's the best thing that ever happened to me. Let me explain from the beginning.

Once upon a time before the Legacy Day… Clouds of dark blue fog swirled around her as she emerged deeper into the ruins of the Dark Palace. She felt like a new person. She felt beyond free. She felt carefree. She stopped in front of the large mirror. There was woman in it.

"Look what you've become."

"I will destroy you." The woman inside the mirror said.

"You destroy me? You don't have what it takes. You're weak. No matter what you do you can't destroy our darkness. Deep down, you know the truth. You need me."

"No! I don't."

She threw an apple into the mirror, breaking it. Her hands began to unravel along with shards of glass. She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come out. The world shook... and shook... still shaking... wait, someone was shaking her. Her eyes flew open. She was in her room, in her bed. Her hands were whole again. A wide-eyed king held her by her shoulders, "Wake up!"

Her head felt foggy, "Dad! What happened?"

"You fell into some Nightmare Fog. Good thing I still have the gremlin root for tea. Otherwise you might still be in your nightmare." He said with a broad smile.

Her head began to clear. Things started making sense. Nightmare Fog traps you inside your greatest fear. But was it a dream? It just felt so real. Then she looked into dad's kind eyes. He's knew her secret for a while, and nothing's happened. Were the legends a lie? Could she dare to wait? She remembered the happy part of her dream, the part where she was free.

"Get up! You've been missing too many days. Today is the last day of the Orientation Week."

"All right," She opened the purple silk curtains ever wider to let in all that buttery sun. She blasted Tailor Quick's new album from her MirrorPod, dancing while grabbing things from my closet and tossing them into the clothing trunk. The heap of clothes was entirely purple and black with a hint of leather and a little princess touch. Outside the sun was rising in the copper sea. The last page of winter was closing.

"Hey, Ooglot!" She shouted as she lifted the trunk on the sill of her bedroom on the fourth-story. She let the trunk fall. In the courtyard below, the family ogre caught it with one blue hand and waved to me. She waved back.

Summer had been nice. No homework — just hours and hours to listen to music and read adventure novels. A couple of days each week she had babysat Cook's twin boys — Butternut and Pie — in exchange for heaps of pastries. She and her dad had sailed their little boat down the coast to spend a week with Pinocchio and his daughter, Cedar Wood. She had loved making tea visits with the Blue-Haired Fairy, playing card games by the fire, and staying up late with Cedar, singing karaoke and laughing into her pillows.

All nice as mice, but she was looking forward to going to Ever After High for its second year of boarding school. She was trying very hard not to think about how her Legacy Day was just a few months away. Ever since witnessing Legacy Day as a first-year, she'd done her best to block it out. Back then, the future had seemed so distant.

A foghorn bellowed, calling her to breakfast. She put on a silver sweater as she left her room. The Dark Palace was chilly. There were far too many unoccupied rooms to bother lighting fires in all their hearths. When her mother had ruled, the castle had teemed with servants, soldiers, and creatures of the shadows. And all of them had watched her younger self, ready to tattle to her mother if they caught her doing anything kind.

"Ravenna," her mother would say, "Yop the Goblin heard you apologize to a rat for stepping on its tail. Such behavior must stop!"

"But I didn't mean to step on its tail," she said.

"Not that. The apology! The Evil Queen never apologizes for anything. You must learn that now."

She preferred the castle mostly empty.

She made her way through the massive hall, feeling as if she'd been swallowed by a whale. She stuck out my tongue at the shadows and slid down the banister of the staircase as she used to when I was a kid.

She flung open the huge dining room doors and announced, "I'm here!" Years ago her mother hosted hundreds of guests at that dining table. Today, as usual, the only diners were her, her father, Cook, and Cook's four-year-old sons.

"Raven!" Butternut and Pie said in unison. They had hair as orange as Butternut's namesake and faces as round as Pie's.

"Hey, little Cooklings."

"I made this for you," said Pie, pushing a piece of paper across the table. She held up a finger painting of herself done in all black and purple.

"Wicked cool. Thank you."

Her father, the Good King, kissed her forehead when she sat beside him. His trimmed beard was beginning to gray, and the top of his head was totally bald, as if his hair had made room for the golden crown he rarely bothered to wear. His eyes were bright blue and brightened even more when he smile, which was often. He was a man of tall structure and looked to be a very mature man, aged in his early sixties. He had mildly wrinkled skin and a slightly over-average build.

"All packed?" He asked. "Don't forget a warm coat. And rain boots. And an enchanted umbrella." He said with his serious and proud, but very handsome face.

"Got it, and don't you stay cooped up in here all year without me. Cook, make sure he gets outside, goes sailing and fishing."

"Of course, now breakfast." Cook said hopefully.

"I'll just have a princess pea-butter sandwich, please," she said while playing peek-a-boo behind her napkin with Butternut.

"Thank you," she said, and then winced automatically. But her mother wasn't there to scold me for being nice. Her father must have noticed my wince, because he put a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"My meat is cold," said Butternut.

"I can warm it up for you," she said, wiggling my fingers as if preparing to cast a spell.

"No!" both Cook and the king said at once, lunging to their feet.

She laughed.

"Oh my, you had me for a moment." The King pressed his hand to his heart and sat back down.

A couple of years before, she had tried to reheat my father's meal and ended up setting the entire table on fire. She wouldn't make that mistake again. Dark magic + good intentions = catastrophe.

After the plum pudding, the Good King said, "Cook, thank you so much for a perfect breakfast. Raven, would you…?" He inclined his head toward the door.

Her stomach turned cold, but she follow him out.

Once they were alone in the hall, he whispered, "It's time, Raven. If you'd rather not..."

"No, I'll go talk to her."

"I'll go with you," He said.

She shook her head. She had seventeen old. She was old enough to face her mother alone. She straightened her shoulders and began the long walk to the Queen's Wing in the other side of the Palace for the first time in a year.

Colors dimmed — dark wood walls, scarlet and black carpets. Portrait paintings looked down. Her mother smiling. Her mother not smiling. Her mother's profile. A close-up of her mother's nose. In one, her mother was winking. In all of them, she was beautiful and extremely intimidating, with her eyes glazed with power.

Monstrous statues seemed to watch her as her pass. Drapes rustled where there was no draft. Her forehead prickled with cold sweat. Two guards in shiny armor stood outside her mother's old bedroom, wielding spiky spears and magic staffs. They nodded to her as she opened the door.

"Remember," said one, "never touch the mirror."

"I remember."

The room was so thick with cobwebs it seemed as if skeletons had decorated for a party. She fought her way through the webs to the far wall and ripped the velvet cloth off the mirror. She saw her own reflection staring back. She… doesn't think it's vain to say that she was beautiful. If she didn't know she was, she would have to have never looked in a mirror or heard a compliment. It's not something she should be proud of — it's just something that was passed down from her parents.

Her skin was so fair that she doesn't tan easily, and can't get sunburned, and the blue veins of her body were visible to the naked eye. She had a long and wavy raven-black hair with purple highlights, which reached her waist. She had bangs pulled up over her head, with a slight puff, and this strand of hair was attached to the back of her head by a silver tiara. Her eyes were bright violet, and her eyebrows and lashes were a darker compared to her hair.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall… show me my mother."

The mirror didn't require a rhyme to work. Rhyming was so last chapter.

The mirror sparked, with electricity skating across its golden surface. Slowly her mother appeared. She was wearing a striped jumpsuit. Her dark hair was piled on her head in the shape of a crown. She was a sculptural woman with an unbearably dark aura in her appearance, which was intimidating and frightening.

"Ravenna, is that you? You're so… so beautiful!" The Evil Queen laughed. "You are going to give that fair skinned, blood-lipped brat a run for her money!"

"Hey, mom, how is… you know… mirror prison?"

"Meh," the Evil Queen said with a pretty shrug. "Tell me all the gossip. What's happening? Did they figure out how to undo my poisoning of Wonderland madness yet? Has someone else copied me and tried to take over all the kingdoms? Is your father still a mind-numbing excuse for a man?"

"Don't make fun of my dad!" Raven clenched her fists when she met those dark eyes in the mirror, took a deep breath, and looked down. "Everything's pretty much the same as last year, and the year before."

"Ha! See what happens when I'm gone? Nothing! I made life interesting. I hope you learn from this, darling. You have to go out there and force life to be what you want it to be, like I did."

"Yeah." Her mother had certainly made her childhood interesting. In those days, the castle was always crowded with soldiers in spiked armor and creatures that scurried through shadows and hissed at her. Quality time with her mother had included sitting on her lap while the Queen met with her generals and hatched plots to kill, conquer, and rule, or spending hours in the dungeon, making evil potions.

"So are you ready for your Legacy Year?" asked the Queen "Ready to sign the Storybook of Legends and bind yourself to following in my footsteps?"

Raven shrugged.

"You should be eager to become the next Evil Queen. Why, your legacy is one of power, control, and command! Just think you could have been born to one of those pathetic princesses who have to sit in a tower and wait to be rescued. Or worse, get suckered into eating a poisoned apple."

The queen cackled beautifully. If ever a cackled could bring a tear to your eye, it was the Evil Queen's.

"I guess I just… I just…"

"What? Don't mumble. Stop slouching and speak up like a Queen. Now, what were you saying?"

Raven straightened her spine. "Nothing, Never mind."

"Don't be so timid Raven. This is your chance to show those dull 'good' folk just what you're made of!"

"Okay, I'll try." And as a show of effort, Raven cracked a small smile.

"I'm so proud! Oh, I miss you, my beautiful baby girl." Her mother lifted her hand, pressing it against the mirror as if she were just on the other side of a window. "Let me touch you, even if it's only through glass."

Raven's hand lifted, almost of its own accord. Her mother really did love her, in her way. Hope was like sticky, too-sweet syrup you yearned to drink just one more time. But she stopped her hand before she touched the mirror. This wasn't the actual mirror prison. That was far away and locked up tight. But her mother was such a powerful sorceress; she might be able to take my hand even through a viewing portal.

"I love you, Mother, but I'll not helping you escape."

The queen's eyes narrowed, and her hand dropped. "Humph. If you were as evil as I raised you to be, you wouldn't hesitate. I must say, Raven, I'm disappointed in you. Never mind. I'll watch with interest to see what you accomplish. You have inherited a bottomless capacity for true evil and breathtaking power. Don't waste it." She leaned so close all Raven could saw in the mirror was her mother's deep purple eyes. "Give 'em hex, Ravenna Queen."

Raven swallowed. All she wants was to run away. Their time ended and the mirror turned off. Instead of her mother's face, Raven saw her own again. It was remarkable, really, how much they looked alike.

"This is a royally important," said her father, hugging her for the hundredth time, as soon as she came back from the Queen's wing. "I'm gonna miss you so much." The King took her hand again.

"I know. You will always have me in your heart. I love you more than anything in the world daddy. I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I'm so proud that you're my father."

The King sniffed back his emotion. "But, now it's time to go." He put his glasses back on and they looked at each other for a while. She stepped into a Travel Mirror in the front room, and fell out of a Travel Mirror on a high balcony of Ever After High. She peeled herself off the ground, her head swimming and limbs shaking. Raven grabbed a banister to keep from falling again. Journey by mirror is felled like being rolled into a blanket and tossed into a cold bath. But when her home was a far away castle clinging to a craggy cliff over a wind-tossed sea, no travel options were convenient.

Ever After High held court on a hill in the center of a valley, its tower-set banners fluttering in the wind like birthday-candle flames. Below her, she could saw the Village of Book End, and beyond that, pastures, forests, and mountains ranged out to all the Fairytale Kingdoms.

But far away a part of the future was revealed to a special girl, who had as father the Mad Hatter.

"A new brew," he said, taking the scones and jam out to the table himself. "Fortune-teller tea. Give it a sip!"

The liquid was pink and smelled of strawberries, but when Maddie drank it, the flavor was deep and a little bitter, followed by a sudden burst of sweetness.

Her father returned. "Well?" he asked.

"It started out as black licorice and then melted into butterscotch," she said.

"Oh, my girl, the tea is telling you that this is the year to keep your ear to the ground and listen for surprises. Change is coming!"


	3. Welcome to Ever After High (Resumption)

Raven's trunk pushed through the mirror after her, landing with a trunk on the floor. She pulled on the strap, making slow, grating progress, toward the castle door.

The Three Little Piglets were passing by, carrying they clothes tied up in handkerchiefs on the end of the poles. They were anthropomorphic piglets, having a pale pink skin, pig-like snout, pointed ears, and a wrinkled face with giant tusks jutting up from lower jaw. The larger one goes for a classy look, the medium one for a street look, and the smallest one for a casual look.

"Hey, would you mind please me get this trunk up to the dorms."

They turned around with smiles on their round face, but when they saw Raven, the smiles disappeared.

"It's Ravenna Queen! Run! She… Is… Evil! Run, everyone!" The piglets said.

They squealed and hurried away, their trotters clacking on the tiles. All the students scream and hide away.

Raven frowned. All the nursery-rhyme school, other kids have fun of her for being the Evil Queen's daughter, but she wasn't used to causing fear. The Queen had warned her that would happen as I grew older. Well, from her mother it hadn't been phrased as a warning so much as a delightful promise: "Because, one day, the very sight of you will cause all living creatures to shake in terror!" Unfortunately for her, the reputation as the daughter of the Evil Queen precedes her.

She focuses on her trunk and tried to levitate it, making it glowing in a bright lavender telekinetic aura. Ever After High didn't look like your typical campus. Perched on a bluff, the school itself was hodgepodge of halls, rooms, and towers that rose high above the Village of Book End. Some of the towers were so tall that they pierced through the clouds. All the balconies provided breathtaking views of the surrounding forests, farmlands, and meadows. Threes were welcome to grow inside and so they became part of the structure, supporting ceilings with their branches and cementing the foundation with their roots. It was a living building of sorts, filled to the brim with energy and magic. And stairs, lots and lots of stairs.

She went down to the dungeons, in a long, dark stone corridor and walked down a long spiral staircase until she founded a large underground room with walls and raw stone ceiling where flaming torches were hanging. The windows looked out into the depths of the Enchanted Lake allowing you to hear the water pounding against them, and occasionally saw the aquatic life passing by, giving various shades of green to the room. A fire crackled in a carved fireplace front with dark wood cabinets, chairs and leather sofas. It had the grandiose atmosphere, but also quite cold, just like in the palace.

She went to the girls' hallway. She knocked on the door marked **Ramona Badwolf & Ravenna Queen.** She couldn't believe in her eyes!

"I was beginning to think you'd come along with Ashlynn," Ramona said, throwing her arms around Raven before she could open the door. Her voice was deepest and huskiest them the other girls, being much more wolf-like.

"Mirror Travel," Raven moaned "I feel like a grape squeezed for juice. Make me laugh."

Ramona never wore any make-up, but she didn't need any. She was beautiful and taller than Raven, with a broad and muscular frame. She had a white skin as the moon and eyes like blue stars with heavy dark lashes, and waist-length, wavy-at-the-bottom and straight dark brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail. Her werewolf heritage was further accentuated by white fangs, pointy ears and sharp red nails like-claws.

Ramona was the daughter of the Big Bad Wolf from _Little Red Riding Hood_ and the _Three Little Pigs_. She was a real tomboy, often thoughtless, impatient, reckless, and makes rash decisions, but also optimistic and never worries about things beyond her control. She is a female lycanthrope, also known as werewolf, are humans that were cursed and have the ability to shapeshifting into wolf-like creatures. She was very aggressive and arrogant. Ramona behaved like this because of her werewolf gene. She learned how to control his anger and tone down her behavior, but she flies into a rage whenever she sees the color red, and feels compelled to charge at it.

Her sense of style and fashion was appropriate for her role in her story: She was dressed with a long dark brown sweater with gold stripes and trimming that was off the shoulder showing off two blue camisole straps. She had a golden-chained necklace with a crescent moon pendant, studded golden hoop earring in her ears and a blue waist belt and tight denim jeans covered halfway by her golden wrapped sandals that were slit at the ankles with fanged heels.

"I have to get my stuff out of the trunk."

Ramona helped Raven with her trunk that was still in the hallway. When the trunk opened the things started to get out quickly, settling in their place, just as they were programmed to be.

The walls of Raven' side was decorated with wallpaper that resembled the dead trees of the Dark Forest. The floor had a mirrored appearance. On the wall were several posters, of Raven favorite series and singers, and portraits of my family, a silver vanity table with some shades of purple with a mirror, two revolving billboards, and two cabinets with feathered door handles. A silver and black chair in the form of a throne with queenly curved legs, on the table there was a head model with a crown, a silver bird cage chandelier, sound speakers that looked like mirrors, wood grain detailing on the cabinets and two storage cabinets for hide potion bottles.

The headboard of the large silver Victorian bed was decorated to look like a black raven in flight. The side can be opened to reveal a space for storing jewelry and accessories. Beside her is a mute bed of purple shelves with silver claws. In the corner of the room there was a large, oval mirror with a silver frame, which appears to be a raven with red eyes at the top with small details of feathers in the frame and also had a silver chandelier and a large black wardrobe.

Ramona' side had dark brown wallpaper resembled the dead trees of the Enchanted Forest with green prints and brown floor. It had simple decor, using rocks and trees. Her side doesn't had many objects, only a few candles, a bed, a small cabinet made of wood, a rock that served as a table with an alarm clock, a wooden bookcase with books and a chandelier made from tree branches.

The room had only one window, so received little natural light. As was expected that students spend the school day at the castle, there were many facilities available to accommodate students even outside the classroom, to kept all our belongings or sleep. The dorms were divided by genders and all students had their roommate. They were also complete with electricity, lighting and air conditioning.

"Hey, how about we find Crystal and go together to the Charmtorium?"

"C'mon," Ramona grabbed Raven by the arm. "It's time to go, anyway. We shouldn't be late." Tugging Raven's arm Ramona steered her in through the door of the dorm room. They walked to the hallway next to the Charmtorium and waited there until we got our cue to enter.

The top-level balcony, with it was comfy lounge thrones, was reserved for Royals and the floor-level, with its uncomfortable rigid seats, and was for all other students. The Charmitorium was packed with everyone just telling tales about their winters. But there was also another story being told. There was hexcitement in the air, because this year everyone was going to pledge their destinies to the Storybook of Legends during the Legacy Day.

Raven didn't want to be the Evil Queen. But what choice did she have? Suddenly, a voice boomed:

"WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS OF EVER AFTER HIGH!"

It was their headmaster, Milton Grimm. Not to be an evil drama queen, but what-ever-after! All he cared about was the "Royal" crowd. You know, all those princesses whose stories end with "and they lived happily ever after".

The Headmaster spoke about how we were all destined for greatness. In other words, they were stuck with our future fairy tales, whether they liked it or not. This means that he had a strong position in each student following his destiny. When he finally finished and left in a blow-the-house-down display of phoenix fireworks and dragon smoke.

They separated them into story groups for our yearly tour. The "royals" were escorted to their damsel-in-distress tower. They grouped Raven with the Wonderland Princess and other "villains", including a goblin and ogre named Mocky and Rugsy, who stared at her like she was a famous spellebrity. Royally uncomfortable! Their scary, hairy professor Mr. Badwolf snarled, "You will follow me."

He took them down to the dank, musky confines of the cauldron room, where they would learn the toil and trouble of poison making. Raven heard the goblin and ogre whispering. They were still staring at her! Throughout the tour, they would not stop eyeballing me. By the time they got down to the deepest dungeon, Raven lost it.

"STOP STARING AT ME!" Raven said.

The goblin gleefully clapped. "Isn't him fury magnificent, Rugsy?" Rugsy bellowed his thoughts, "FURY!"

"That," Mr. Badwolf growled, "was quite a huff and a puff." Raven tried to stammer an apology, but he continued, "You're off to a good start. But class hasn't started yet, your evilness." Raven thought she was going to be sick.

When the tour ended, and I finally got rid of Mocky and Rugsy they went to the Castleteria. It was quite large, and near the large tower clock as it had a large window. The Castleteria also had large trees growing out of it near the seat benches. They stand behind their foods, Ms. Hagatha a troll, played two very large tablespoons carrots and boiled potatoes. I took my tray to the last table in the Castleteria, back to one of the trees that grew from the floor the skylights six stories up.

"Heads up! It's stone soup." Ramona said as Raven and Crystal put them trays beside her.

Crystal groaned and picked up her spoon with her bright blue fingers. You could say a lot about her current art projects by her fingers. She didn't mind letting you get confused, even because when she walks she leaves snowflakes wherever she goes.

Crystal Snow was daughter of the Snow Queen from tale _Snow Queen_. She was created in short and strong words, being fierce, confident, intimidating and often obstinate. Crystal had a warm and loving relationship with Ravenna, and served as her constant faithful companion in their childhood. As her name infers, she was a cold type of person, but was also shown to be noble, and kind when given the opportunity. She was also very strong in terms of physical and cryokinetic abilities and therefore intimidating.

Crystal was the same height as Raven and had a slender build. She had unnaturally pale skin that was the color of snow with a light dusting of freckles, rosy cheeks and lips, striking blue eyes, white eyebrows and long, straight white silvery hair that was tied up at the top with the rest left loose. She always wore an ice crystal necklace to keep her direct environment at a suitable temperature for her. She was wearing a pale blue turtleneck jumper with visible silver stitching down the front, icicle earrings and oxford silver shoes, it greater part was covered by white socks.

Raven fished the stone of her soup and threw it in my napkin. Ramona and Crystal did the same. Raven heard shouts of surprise around Castleteria. She looked up to see fairy-godmothers-in-training teleporting to distribute class schedules, appearing and disappearing in clouds of golden dust. A fairy-godmother-in-training handed Crystal a paper just before she disappeared.

"Oh no!" Crystal said quietly, reading her schedules. "This year I have... Princessology. I may be a royal, but I prefer classes that allow me to explore my… cold side." Her voice was like snow, soft and very cold.

Another fairy-godmother-in-training teleported in front of me in a cloud of pink dust, she showed to Raven her class time with a smile. Then, seeming to recognize her, she screamed and disappeared with her class schedule.

Raven groaned. "This is getting worse?" She asked to Crystal because for her talking was an oxygen waste so words were pointed, she always tells the truth. Since she was from the top of the highest mountains of the Northern Kingdom and therefore breathing the air there was more difficult.

"Yeah, it's getting worse. I think the characters have always been cautious around you."

"I know it's been a long time, but after all your mother has made known to the daughter of the Greatest Evil That Ever Was, it was a great scary experience." Ramona smiled and nudged Raven with her elbow. "And then, on top of everything, realize how incredibly incredible you're. But this year, perhaps because Legacy Day is coming, everyone is seeing not only who we're but by whom we will become."

"That's what I feared." Raven dropped the spoon without being hungrier.

All teleportation stopped. Everyone was looking at their class schedules.

Raven heard someone read yours aloud: "Riddling, Storytelling 101, Geografairy… "

"Hey wait! I didn't get my schedule!"

Crystal looked around, worried. Every time she moved her body, she reflects the sunlight like thousands of crystals were embedded in her skin.

"You probably have to get it with your advisor."

"Who is?" Raven asked.

"Baba Yaga." Crystal said.

"Ah well, that's what I get for being a dark sorcerer."

Before going to see her, Raven made a stop at her room to change her boots for running shoes; it was required to visit the Baba Yaga office.

After half an hour walk away from the castle before finding the round hut with a thatched roof peering into a stone courtyard. Raven stopped cold sweat. She had not seen it yet. On tiptoes, I crawled forward. Raven held her breath. Her sneakers creaked. The house turned slightly. His two front windows seemed to look at me. The curtains went down and up again, as if blinking.

Raven smiled, trying to look harmless.

She got up with her chicken legs and ran again.

"No!" Raven run out of the house, jumping on bales of hay and dodging carts and carriages. "Not the pigs field... not the pig field…"

She entered the pig's field. That would get confused. Chase it, mud and muddy things that smelled worse than the mud covered her black sneakers. The house turned left. Raven jumped, struggling to hold the front steps. There were several sharp jumps, and then chased the house stopped, sat down on the floor with a sigh. Raven wiped the sweat from her forehead. She stood on the front step and knocked. From inside came the sound of an indignant sniff.

"I smell evil," Baba Yaga shouted through the door. "Come in, Ravenna Queen."

The door swung as in if the cottage had inhaled it. Raven stooped under the low threshold and entered.

The room as smoky lit from firelight, candles, and a hole in the center of the roof. The front windows, apparently, were just for show. The walls dripped with drapes, tasseled carpets swayed from ceiling hooks. Cages dangled everywhere, housing birds and lizards and creatures that Raven couldn't name.

Baba Yaga sat cross-legged on a stool that appeared to hover slightly above the floor. Her long gray hair was knotted with feathers, snarls, braids and small bones. Her skirt, shirt, and vest were drab, but her hands, neck and ears sparkled with enough jewelry to please a sultan.

"You have come seeking for knowledge or wisdom?"

"Actually, just my class schedule."

When Raven told her advisor what had happened in the Castleteria, Baba Yaga crackled. Where her mother's crackle was a thing frightening beautiful, my advisor cackle invoked only a fright.

"Some fairy-godmother-in-training as good and terrified, was she? Realized she was facing the future Evil Queen? Ha! Good work, Raven. If you scare them, you're doing it right."

"I don't want to scary them." Raven mumbled

"Eh? What was that? Speak up! Don't mumble like a caterpillar."

"I said… I don't want to scary them."

Baba Yaga picked up a blue spray bottle and squirted in Raven's face with water, making her blink. "This is how I train my cats not to jump up on my spell table. They learn after a while. Maybe you will, too."

"I'm not one of your cats!" Raven snapped her fingers making that bottle disappear in a purple smoke.

"If you know who you're, you wouldn't act like a wet cat." Baba Yaga snapped her fingers, lifted her hand, and pulled a sheet of paper as if out the air above. She handed it to Raven.

Raven's class schedule: **General Villainy, Home Evilnomics, Magicology, History of Evil Spells,** **Princessology,** **Science & Sorcery. **She read it over with increasing horror!

"This is a major fairy-fail."

"It all looks appropriate to me." The dark sorceress advisor said. "The first-year classes are a general introduction to his role in his story, in your case, a dark sorceress of royalty."

"I was hoping for at least a Muse-ic Class. Don't I have any choice–" Raven stopped.

The cottage got quiet, as if it had stopped breathing. The very air seemed to vibrate with that word: choice.

Baba Yaga studied Raven thoughtfully with those gray eyes. When she tried to spray her once more, Raven raised one hand causing the water to stop in the air.

"I don't want to have to talk one more time… I'm not one of those cats! You will _not_ change my crown!"

"Yes! Now, you spoke as a true Evil Queen's descendant. Choice is a dangerous word. You can't throw it around idly, not in Ever After High. Why the student interest in choice?"

Raven looked into that face, all the wrinkles pointing down with her face, and was certain the old sorceress would not understand. So she just shook her head.

"Humph. Headmaster Grimm won't tolerate foolishness during your Legacy Year. Take classes you're assigned, and be grateful I don't change you into worm." She sniffed. Grime lined her wrinkles. "You may choose once class, and in the future, be more cautious when talking about choice."

"Muse-ic Class, please."

She wrote with her pointy gray fingernail on my schedule and with a gust of wind opened the door sent me and my schedule flying out.

Raven pushed her wind-chased schedule, grabbing it out of the air just before it flew over a wall. Through a window Raven could see a blond princess with her advisor, Wonderland's White Queen. They were setting in a real room on real chairs, drinking hot cocoa and apparently having a perfectly pleasant time. There was no sign of a spray bottle.

Raven picked up a stick and scraped at the mud and other stuff on my sneakers. She could try to clean it with magic, but the magic might backfire and take my shoes off with the dirt, and perhaps my toenails for good measure.

She was in the way to my dorm to change when she passed Milton Grimm. Ever After High's headmaster was tall, his dark gray hair and mustache beginning to steak with white. He wore a blue suit, a vest, a tie, and a heavy key ring at his belt that jangled when he walked.

"Ravenna Queen, visiting your advisor, I presume?" He indicated the mud drying on her shoes and smiled.

"Yeah, her cottage ran into a pig field."

"So you chased it down? That's the spirit. Miss Queen, would you step into my office for a moment?"

She follows him in. The office was large as a throne room, and his chair was the throne itself, sitting on a dais being a heavy oaken desk. Between the bookshelves limning the high walls hung the heads of long-dead mystical creatures. In a place of honor in the room's center and locked inside a crystal box on a glided pedestal waited the Storybook of the Legends.

Raven shivered as she passed it. She sat on smallest throne before his deck.

He glanced up as if making sure the door was shut before he spoke. "Did you have your yearly mirror chat with you-know-who?"

Raven nodded.

"And you told on one? It wouldn't be good for morale. Everyone but you, I, Geppetto, and Baba Yaga believes the Evil Queen is no more."

"I've kept these secrets for years. You can trust me."

He tilted his head as if wasn't sure. "And you didn't touch the mirror?"

She had an irritated facial expression, and with her arms crossed she screamed irritably, "Curses! Not!"

"It was a lot of work catching her and locking her away. I don't fancy another go of it. Your mother is a fine example of what can go wrong when a character doesn't follow her prescribed script."

Raven didn't answer. She'd heard this speech before.

"Ah, your class schedule. May I?" He held out his hand, and Raven gave him the paper. "Hmm... it all looks hexcellent, excerpt for this Muse-ic Class. That's really only for Happily Ever After princess to help them desenvolved they signature power ballads."

"But I love music and play always set me free. And I could choose–"

Headmaster Grimm raised an eyebrow at the word. Raven could almost feel the Baba Yaga's cold water squirting up her nose.

"Ms. Queen, it's time to grow up. All students must focus on who they will become. You're destinated to be the next Evil Queen."

"Yeah, about that, my mom wasn't just Snow White's Evil Queen like my grandma as, and great-grandma, and great-great-grandma, and great-great-great–"

"No, as I said, she overreached"

"Yeah, after all her part with Snow White, she went off script in a major way. So what's my destiny? To do just regular Evil Queen shtick? Or am I going to become like my mother and elbow my way into Sleeping Beauty and invade Wonderland and try to rule all the Happily Ever Afters? Do I have become the Greatest Evil the World Has Know?"

He straightened "Are you doubting me? Do you dare question me? I am Milton Grimm."

Raven slamming in the table, turning it to ice, "Grows as Evil Queen's child didn't bring me anything good."

The headmaster took a deep breath and put his slight smile back on. "Your story, and your very life, is far too important to risk on wild spellculation," He erased Muse-ic Class from her schedule, with a flick of his fingertip and handed the paper back, "You must try to play your part. We all must, or our very existence is in danger."

"Yeah!" Raven started to put fire in her class schedule.

"Ravenna," Headmaster Grimm smiled, but the smile didn't seem to reach his eyes. "You have so much potential. Don't waste it. Embrace your destiny."

She got up and walked over to the door, when she got there she paused for a moment and said, "If I ever become that kind of character you think I might someday be, then don't worry… because you will be the first to know her."

He had that trustful look on his face, though Raven knew he was terrified. She left his office with ghostly images and unrealistic nightmares in his head.


	4. A Villain in Every Story (Resumption)

It was Monday and Raven woke up shortly after the sunrise. When the curtains were opened, the bedroom was filled with cheerful, uplifting light.

"Don't tell me its morning already. I am so weary I could sleep for another day." Ramona grumbled at Raven.

Raven looked over towards the bed, "Good morning. Don't tell me you didn't sleep all night… again."

"Good morning, Raven. I slept at some point." She said thoughtfully, more to herself than to someone else.

After taking a shower, Raven started to make-up. She put a purple lipstick and a lavender eyeshadow on her top eyelid and a darker purple/bluish shade on her bottom eyelid. She began to wear her uniform, which consisted of a black social shirt with a high silver collar with a scale pattern and silver feathered shoulders, held together by a heart-shaped, purple gem pendant. Her skirt was a purple top layered and trimmed with black lace and a frilly mesh underskirt with two layers in purple and lilac and had black fishnet tights. She had a silver belt held by a single chain embellished with a raven skull pendant on the end and a series of spiked silver bracelets, which were connected to purple ring by chains. Her shoes were black boots with gravity heels tied by silver chains. And finally, Raven tied her hair into a single braid at the back, and parted at the top to back for her silver spiky tiara and puts her silver feather dangling earrings.

She put her MirrorPhone, a hextbook, dorm key and some salty caramels inside her book bag. It's painted purple hope chest with the silver latch resembling a conventional heart symbol with a silver dagger with embedded purple jewels on it piercing through the heart. It resembles a heart box which was given to the Huntsman by the Evil Queen. It had to contain Snow White's heart, as proof that she was dead. Despite not being evil, Raven love the fashion prescribed by her dark destiny.

"You look frightening… beautiful!" Ramona said impressed.

Raven looked at her and said, "Thank you!" She got up from the chair, and stood in front of Ramona.

"How I look?" Ramona said.

Ramona's hair was loose with a slight wave to the end of the thorax. Her earrings were a gold choker and gold piercing in her ears while one was a gold chain. Her lipstick was bright red, with a glossy look to them. She also had an open dark brown leather jacket with a white furry collar and gold lining over a blue social shirt. In the place of the tie she had a gold dog tag. Ramona had mismatched blue gloves, the one on the right being a plain glove only covering the index finger and the thumb, the one on the left being a full glove sporting golden studs and a back-hole, a gold and dark blue knuckle ring on her left hand. She had a studded golden belt and a pair of dark blue torn pants, covered halfway by her shoes, which were golden strappy platform sandal boots with open toes, metallic blue heels and shoelaces.

"Now, as you say… bid, bad fangtastic," Raven grabbed Ramona's hand and left dragging her. "Let's go, we are late."

The hallway filled with the sounds of footsteps and chatter as villains' kids headed out of the dormitory to their classes of the day.

Despite the fact that they were opposites in many ways, Raven was glad to have Ramona by her side as we negotiated the crowded hallways of Ever After High. Ramona might lack organizational skills, but she certainly didn't lack confidence.

"If you don't go out of my way, I'll blow all of you." She ordered for a commoner character with a growl.

They passed through the Common Room, ducking beneath the tree branches that grew inside the school. They grabbed brioches and orange juice from a Castleteria cart. All the students were talking about their class lists.

When the first bell rang, they – villains' kids – stood at the end of a hallway, in front of narrow door with a sign that read, TO THE DUNGEON.

The dungeon back home had a few ancient skeletons and smelled like rotten eggs. It made perfect sense that a class specializing in villainy would be held in a dreary place. At least she wouldn't have to spend more than a few minutes down there.

"Ugh!" the Princess of Hearts said, "I hate dungeons."

Her name was Lizzie Hearts. She was part of _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ as the next Queen of Hearts. Like her mother, Lizzie often condemns people and objects of decapitation, but she was truly a sweetheart, despite her… first reaction to most things, that was anger, but she had spent her life trying to manage her temper.

Lizzie had pale peach skin with thin bone structure but superior posture and carries herself with dignity. Her heart-shaped face had full, rose-tinted cheeks with dimples, a rounded forehead, black eyebrows, a straight delicate nose and well-shaped blood red lips. Her eyes were sky blue with her left eye with her left eye was covered with a red heart she paints on herself. She had a thin layer of scarlet red and smoke-gray eyeshadow. Her hair was black, with red highlights in the front, styled in a high heart-shaped bun on top of her head. The rest of her hair was slightly wavy and falls freely, reaching her hips.

Her hair was pulled on a golden, richly carved crown, which slightly resembles card guards and heart gates of Wonderland. It had a complex design to it by having gold strings under it patterned with small rubies hearts. She was wearing a red blazer with the sides as upside-down hearts, and a red Elizabethan collar with hearts on the side and red beads attaching to the top of her jacket. She had black social shirt under the blazer, red gloves with black edges. Her pants were black with red heart shapes on them and her shoes were red boots with gold card-shaped heels. It was also decorated with cardboard gold inserts. Her jewels were heart earrings, with three strings coming out of the stud and a small ring that resembles a deck of cards. Lizzie had a red heart-shaped book bag with a yellow buckle.

The stone stairs were steep and slippery. "Did I miss the hext about wearing hiking boots?" Lizzie grumbled as she clung to the wrought iron railing. Her red heels were not designed for this sort of terrain.

Just above their heads, stone hands stuck out of the wall. Each hand held a lighted torch. The flames cast strange shadows. Cobwebs sparkled between the stones. Something darted in front of them.

"Was that a rat?" Someone cried.

"A rat... a rat... a rat", echoed down the stairs.

"A rat the size of a cat", Lizzie said. A grey hedgehog with peach paws, face and ears squealed and burrowed deeper into Lizzie's bag. "Oh my wand, there's another way. Professor Piper needs to clean this place up."

They reached the bottom of the stairwell, only to find another set of stairs. Lizzie groaned. "You'd think that Headmaster Grimm could at least put an elevator in this place. Seriously, don't the villains deserve better?"

There was some truth to that. Villains were just as welcome at Ever After High as the heroes. Both had equally important roles to play in fairytales. Without darkness, there couldn't be light.

"An elevator would be nice," Raven said as she brushed a cobweb from her nose.

Another sign waited at the bottom of the second stairwell.

 _(LEFT)_ **THIS WAT TO DUNGEON, COACH CLASS**

 **THIS WAY TO DUNGEON, FIRST CLASS** _(RIGHT)_

 _(LEFT)_ **THIS WAY TO THE CREEPY CELLAR**

 **THIS WAY TO THE CAULDRON ROOM** _(RIGHT)_

"Cauldron room," Ramona said, pointing.

With Lizzie still in the lead, they hurried down the dimly lit corridor. Dampness glistened on the stone walls. Pairs of small red eyes glowed from the ceiling. The girls doubled their place. The door to the cauldron room had been propped open by an empty cauldron.

"It's hot in here," Ramona complained as they stepped inside.

It was like stepping into a sauna. The source of the heat was a fire burning in a large stone hearth. Three caldrons were suspended over the flames. The first bubbled with thick green swamp water. The second popped and sizzled with blood-red lava. The third swirled like a whirlpool of mud.

They all peeled off our jackets.

"It's much cooler over here", a girl called.

She was sitting on a wooden stool, as were three other students. The remaining two stools were empty.

The bell rang for the second time. I hurried across the stone floor and grabbed one of the stools. Raven set her book bag on the floor, and then she waved for Ramona.

A deep clearing of throat startled Raven. Mr. Badwolf entered the room with a clipboard in his hands. He was tall, burly, gruff and also very stocky man. In his human form he had quite thick brown hair and brown beard with white streaks running through both. His hair was slicked back hung in thick, luxurious waves, to reveal his bushy eyebrows and widow's peak. He had wolf ears and brown skin. His eyes were cold and bright as silvery yellow as the winter moon. He was immaculately dressed in a three-piece plaid suit, a pocket kerchief, a bright red necktie and high boots.

He sniffed the air, and then looked at the girl who was standing in front of the door. Nor did he ask for the girl why she standing alone by the door and not sitting with others. He adjusted his tie, and then strode across the room. "Welcome, future villains," he said, his voice deep and growly. "I am your instructor, Mr. Badwolf."

"Excuse me," the girl said as she followed him. "But there's been a mistake" She held out her letter. "I'm listed in this class, but I'm not supposed to be here. My name is Duchess Swan."

She was destined to be a tragic heroine, yet she remained a royal. Duchess was daughter of the Swan Queen from the _Swan's Lake_. Duchess was a creative, hard-working and confident girl who loves anything to do with dance from the steps in the performance to the preparation backstage. She was a talented ballerina with grace and poise, because of this she tended to dance instead of walk. As someone who looks at the big picture, she liked to bring out the talent in others and make sure everyone had their moment in the spotlight.

Her petite fine-boned frame made her beauty special and unique: she had an exceptionally long and delicate neck. Her built was that of a dancer, with long graceful arms and muscular legs, perfect posture and an air of regal calm. Duchess had the perfect darker-skinned, brown as a roasted coffee bean. Her bright brown eyes were large and widely spaced with dark and striking eyebrows. Her long, straight and black hair had white and lavender highlights and was tied in a ballerina bun with two strands of hair stick out.

Duchess' head was adorned with a silver spiraled tiara with two swans forming a heart and she had dark lavender fleur-de-lys earrings. She was wearing lavender blazer with short swan wing sleeves, a white social shirt with a silver swan-winged heart like a bow that wrapped around her neck. Her jewelry was a pink heart-shaped diamond, a single lilac swan-shaped ring and a feather charmed bracelet. Duchess had a black tightening belt around her waist, a white tutu-like puffy skirt with a pattern of lavender feathers, which reaches to the knees, as well as black fishnet tights and her shoes were black ballet slippers with gravity-heels and lavender bows.

"Yes, I know who you are," he said, his pupils narrowing.

"Oh, great… Well, then I'm like your permission to transfer to another class, something more… fitting."

"More fitting?" He raised his bushy eyebrows. "Are you not good enough for this class, Ms. Swan?"

One of the students giggled.

Duchess squared her shoulders. "Of course I'm good enough. I mean, I'm good enough to do anything, royalty good… But I'm not evil. I mean, there's no evil in my bloodline. So I don't think I should be in a villain class." She said proudly.

"Is that what you think?" He took the parchment from her and wrote in big red letters: TRANSFER DENIED. Then he handed he parchment back.

"But"

Mr. Badwolf growled. It wasn't a ferocious, loud growl – rather it was soft, as if given as a warning. "Sit down, Ms. Swan."

Duchess gasped. Then, with angry footsteps, she marched over the last stool and sat with a loud hmph.

Ramona whispered, "Bet she were feeling a little bit evil now."

Mr. Badwolf stood with his feet wide apart, holding the clipboard behind his back. "Does anyone else have any personal issues they'd like to bring to my attention?" He was clearly being sarcastic but Lizzie's hand shot up anyway.

"Yes, I have a whole list of issues. I would like this class to begin later. Its soooo early and I need extra time in the morning to find everything because my playing-card army is back in Wonderland. I also think we need to have an elevator installed, I cannot be expected to hike up those stairs every day in my heels. And the rats era scaring my hedgehog, I'd like you to do something about that" She folded her hands in her lap, waiting for this response.

The big wall clock tick-tocked. The cauldrons bubbled. But none of the students said anything. We sat, waiting to see Mr. Badwolf would do.

He narrowed his eyes and glared at Lizzie. "If you are worried about the rats, Mr. Hearts, then I suggest you and your hedgehog each get rabies short. I get mine every year." He jangled a tag that hung on a chain around his neck.

Ramona laughed.

Lizzie shot her a nasty look. Then she said, "OFF WITH HER HEAD! I have no intention of getting a rabies shot. I got all my shots back in Wonderland. I have been vaccinated for walrus warts, teapox and March Hare madness."

Mr. Badwolf ignored her. He removed his pocked kerchief and brushed dust from the edge of his desk. Then he sat. "General Villainy is one of the most demanding classes at Ever After High. If you manage to get an A grade, you will join the ranks of students before you such as the Wicked Stepmother, the Billy Goats Gruff Troll, and myself, of curse." He smiled, revealing a row of sharp canine teeth.

An A was the highest grade in each class.

Mr. Badwolf continued. "Each of you has been hand-selected by the headmaster himself to attend this class because each of you has the honor of being the son or daughter of a confirmed villain or being closely related to someone evil."

Duchess' hand shot up. "Hm, excuse me, but…"

His eyes flashed. "Interruptions are not allowed in my classroom," he snarled.

Her hand fell to her side.

"As I was saying, each of you is here because you come from an evil bloodline. Or" – he looked at Duchess – "you have the capacity to be the first in your family to go bad."

While the cauldrons provided a background melody of crackling and popping, Mr. Badwolf tapped his finger on the clipboard. His fingers were furry and his nails were long and black. They looked like claws. He seriously needed a mani-curse at the Tower Hair Salon. "Roll call. When the name of each one is called, stand up."

Mr. Badwolf called the following names:

 _Coral Reefs_

 _Cruel de Vil_

 _Crystal Snow_

Crystal's hair was long and wavy; it was split in half and worn down to her waist. On her head had a silver tiara with indigo crystals, translucent silver earrings snowflake- shaped and her signature ice crystal necklace. Her lipstick was strawberry pink, while her eye shadow consists of different shades of blue. Her uniform was appropriately to the winter weather where she lives: a blue snowcoat with white fur around the collar and at the edge of her sleeves, white social shirt, icy blue tight pants with cracked ice and snowflake designs and an ice-crystal-looking belt in the middle of it. Her shoes were faux-fur-lined and knee-length white boots with white pom-poms attached to strings on the ends of the laces.

"Ms. Snow was chosen for this class, because she is the daughter of the Snow Queen. Her mother is a good queen of snow and ice who has built her own frozen kingdom over the decades... but she wants to create a world of eternal winter where the polar wind cools human souls and clearness of lines obscure emotions. I have great hexpectations for her."

"The cold never bothered me anyway," Crystal said sarcastically.

 _Duchess Swan_

 _Elizabeth Hearts_

"Here!" Lizzie was playing with her hedgehog.

"Ms. Hearts was chosen because her ancestor liked to rip out hearts and keep them away from their owners. This cardiac capacity led her to become the notorious Queen of Hearts in Wonderland. I heard a rumor that she was trying to control her temper. That's true, Ms. Hearts?"

"Yes," Lizzie replied. Badwolf raised his furrowed brows. "I want to say no!" She jumped off her stool. "I would never try to control my temper. Someone is spreading fables and it makes me feel very, very angry!" She kicked herself on her stool. Her face was as red as her shoes.

It was a brilliant tantrum, but they knew the truth. Lizzie wanted to be an angry queen, as much as Princess wanted to be a permanent white swan.

 _Emerald West_

 _Evanora Stepsister_

 _Evelyn Stepsister_

 _Faybelle Thorn_

 _Ginger Breadhouse_

"Here!" Ginger stood up and waved at everyone.

She had warm brown skin, hazel-brown eyes, black dots under her eyes and gently blushing, rounded cheeks with dimples. Her cinnamon-smelling hair was straight, chocolate-brown and long with straight bangs and pink tips, styled in a high ponytail. She was overweight. However, her roundness doesn't appear to have affected her self-esteem; her way of walking appears to flaunt this feature, and she often smiles or behaves in a cool, suave manner.

Her makeup was shiny pink lipstick and layered purple eyeshadow. She had a hot pink headband with a cupcake on top and gold candy crake earrings. She was wearing dark brown jacket, the ends of which "dripping" the dress. It also had a high collar and the ends of the sleeves were pink. Her dress was pink, textured-candy frock with dark brown frosting-like trim that goes just above her knees. Mostly, what was on her dress was based off a gingerbreadman. The dress had a yellow collar, brown buttons, and a brown ribbon tied around her waist. Her bracelet was adorned with several purple, pink, and yellow gumballs and her shoes were ankle boots with golden heels in the shape of lollipops and pink dripping frosting around the ankles.

"Ginger was selected for this class because her mother is the Candy Witch, who tried to eat Hansel and Gretel. Would you like to tell the class a little bit about yourself?"

Everyone already knew Ginger. She did a Mirror-Cast show called _Spells Kitchen_ during witch she made fabulous desserts. Ginger was a shy girl who disliked her destiny and preferred to be a pastry chef with her own cooking show as she loves baking and sharing her treats with others, to the point where refusing to try them will hurt her feelings. She was sweet-natured and forgiving, bearing no will to those who wrong her.

She walked to the front of the class, a box tied with yellow ribbon in her hands. "I just want to you know that even though my mom tried to eat some kids, I would never do that. I love to cook, but none of my recipes call for boys and girls." Her voice was sweet and shy. She tugged on the yellow ribbon, and then opened the box. The scent of pure deliciousness filled the air. Sweet and cinnamon spicy, it was a welcome relief from the weird cauldron odors. "I baked these for everyone. They are miniature cinnamon trolls." She handed one to Mr. Badwolf. White icing dripped off the troll-shaped pastry.

He wolfed it down in one bite, and then smacked his lips. "Even though it contains no raw meat, it was delicious," he reported. Ginger smiled proudly. "However, delicious is not evil." Mr. Badwolf wrote on the clipboard. "I am very disappointed in you, Ms. Witch. Next time you bring treats for the class, I suggest than they be poisonous. You get a DG for the first day."

"What's a DG?" Duchess asked. She didn't have that grade in other classes.

" _DG_ stands for 'do-gooder'", Mr. Badwolf said. "DG is the worst grade you can get in General Villainy. Some would argue that it is even worse than a fairy-fail grade." He grabbed another troll.

With a confused look on her face, Ginger returned to her stool.

 _Harriet Hook_

 _Honey Witch_

 _Jinfire Long_

 _Keith Nottingham_

 _Kjersti Trollson_

 _Martin Gothel_

 _Mouscedes King_

 _Ramona Badwolf_

 _Ravenna Queen_

He looked to Raven, even where she was sitting in the corner, hidden in the shadows. The room went silent. Even the cauldrons stopped bubbling.

"Hi," I said with a frown, "Well, I'm sure we all know why I'm in this class."

"No. We don't know why. Ms. Swan tells us why Ms. Queen is in this class."

"Ravenna Queen is the daughter of the infamous sorceress, the Evil Queen, who'd tormented royals from one kingdom to the next, including Snow White. Her mother was so evil that she went beyond her own story and invaded the Sleeping Beauty story and Wonderland, infecting its madness. And that was the reason why wonderlandians hadn't been home in a very long time." Duchess said.

Raven eyes flashed with anger as her words reduced Raven size. If she was guilty of anything, isn't wanted to follow the wicked footsteps of her mother.

"Ravenna shouldn't be in this class… she has no right to be here."

The girl who spoke had a seductive, and yet a delicate beauty that was almost unworldly with a petite builds and muscles her perfectly smooth white skin. Her black hair was long, luxurious and slightly curled with red crimson lowlights through it. It was tied to the left in both a high ponytail and a low one. She had three twists hanging from her right and her bangs were combed up high to the left. Her eyes were like the color of redwood bark, somehow dark and bright at the same time. It was heavy-lidded and seductive with long dark lashes. Her nose was fairly small, especially in relation to her full lips.

Her bright red earrings were mismatched too: the one in her left ear was a silver bone with one large and two smaller feathers tied to it while the one in her right ear was a circular stud with a silver claw attached to it. Just above Ebony's forehead rested a vermilion headpiece with a winged vulture in the center. She was wearing a black blazer with a bell sleeve and a dark red shoulder piece adding a layer of black feathers over her sleeves, a red social shirt and had vermilion necklace that was partially a three-ringed choker and partially a wider type of neck jewelry as base. This base was decorated with seven ellipses, of which the three middle ones were silver and had seven fangs dangling from the bottom edge. She also wore a black skirt with two red puffy pieces and red tulle at the bottom. There was a dark red belt with three vultures' skulls in the middle of eight claws, feathers hanging from the skulls, and red accents. Her boots were knee-high boots and don't had platform, with the heel-less heel looking like a vulture wings.

"Really, queen? Why don't you go to the rocks of some sea to seduce the unsuspecting sailors and drag them to eminent death?"

The "girl" is Raven's cousin and was childhood ex-best friend. They grew up together side by side and were closed and had been like siblings as they grew and developed into young teens. However, when they were growing up, Raven began to notice changes and took a notice how her cousin was beginning to behave much more wildly and starting to become rebellious. They had severed ties after that and had not seen each other for years ever afterwards.

The tension in the room was so bad that everyone could feel it. Even though they thought that they never talked and greeted each other, everyone could feel the anger between them. Raven felt as if everyone was staring at her, waiting for some kind of explosion happened. Fortunately, she contained her feelings, keeping them to myself.

"The facts are indisputable. You carry more evil in your bloodline than the rest of them all combined. The faculty and the headmaster are hopeful that you will embrace your destiny." Mr. Badwolf pointed to a large wooden sign that hung on the wall.

 **THOU SHALL NOT STRAY THE STORY.**

After a long, heavy sigh, Raven slid back into the shadows.

"And the cakes cherries, she needs no introduction… Sirena von Black." Mr. Badwolf said.

"I'm so happy to be here. I've been waiting for this class all my life." Her voice was a soft, high soprano that contrasted with her fierce looks, being able to go pass for a helpless girl to lure in bait.

"I admire your exuberance, Ms. Black. You were chosen for this class because your father is the Black Swan. He turned into a swan and disguised himself as the White Swan so that the Prince professed his love for her father instead of the White Swan, making her stay in his swan form forever ever after."

"And let's not forget that I'm the only villain who gets a Happily Ever After."

"Last but not least, Sparrow Hood."

Sparrow sat slouched on his stool, a guitar leaning against his leg. On his guitar is an arrow with a gold head. He had light skin with chestnut hair hung over his olive green eyes, which were closed, and a soul patch. His style reflects his rocker influences through studded and buckled accessories and piercings in both ears.

On his trilby were two small gold arrow head pendants and two small feathers. He was wearing a grey button shirt with a black pattern, over it he had a black jacket with golf buttons and gold studs and it had torn off sleeves and tree green kerchief around his neck. He had gold-studded gray gloves with a buckle wristband and a green wristband, a necklace with what appears to be an arrow head pendant and a dirty-green colored trilby hat. He also wore black pants with a studded belt and high black studded boots with buckles.

Sparrow was the son of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. As befitting its destination, Sparrow was an experienced thief and crook. However, he had little interest in his pre-written future, as he preferred to be a musician. He was the lead singer and guitarist for a band called Merry Men.

"Sparrow?" Ramona nudges him. He bolted upright.

"Dude, I was trying to sleep."

Mr. Badwolf tapped his long nails on the desk. "Mr. Hood, villains don't sleep. Villains disrupt the sleep of others. Keep than in mind."

Sparrow yawned, and then scratched his soul patch. "Haven't you heard of chilling like a villain? I was up all night practicing my riffs." Sparrow was the lead singer and guitarist in a band called the Merry Men.

Mr. Badwolf growled. "Your riffs will not earn you an A in this class, Mr. Hood."

"Total bummer, well, maybe I don't want to earn an A," Sparrow said with a shrug. "Why am I here, anyway? My old man wasn't evil."

"You are her because your father, Robin Hood, was a notorious thief. Thievery is an excellent trait in a villain. And there are times when you appear to have appropriate attitude," Mr. Badwolf said. "But because your father used thievery for good, there was great debate among the faculty whether you should be in this class. You have much to prove, Mr. Hood."

"Proving stuff sound like way too much work," Sparrow said. "My guitar and I have better things to do." Then he lowered his hat so the brim shaded his eyes. Was he going to nod off again?

Duchess squirmed. The roll call had been a total disaster. So far, only a few students want to be villain. Sparrow didn't even care what grade he got.

Mr. Badwolf preceded to hand each student a thick hextbook, _A Guide to General Villainy._ Then he wheeled a chalkboard to the front of the class and, with a piece of white chalk, began to draw. They watched in silence, except for Sparrow, who'd started snoring. Lizzie prodded him with her scepter. He woke up and yawned.

"Can anyone tell me what this is?" Mr. Badwolf asked as he pointed to the board. He'd drawn a triangle. Inside was a stick figure with curly tail.

No one answered. Sirena shrugged. Ginger licked frosting from her fingers. Duchess fumed.

"This is a pig," Ramona explained. "And this is its newly built straw house."

"Correct. The question I pose to you, students, the future creators of chaos, is this: What would you do if you wanted to eat this little pig but it was hiding in its house made of straw?"

Ginger insisted she wouldn't eat it because she knows a few pigs and they are nice, Sparrow is at most willing to write a song about it and Lizzie details that she'd order the pig to come out but not eat it because she agrees with Ginger. When Duchess was tasked to answer, she refuses on account of not being a villain.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Mr. Badwolf ended the sentence with a howl.

Raven sighed. This was a total waste of time. She could be practicing on her piano, or writing her deepest thoughts in her diary.

Mr. Badwolf smoothed his hair and took a long, deep breath, composing himself. Then, his voice, steady and calm, he looked toward the dark corner. "Surely you know the answer, Ms. Queen?"

Raven fidgeted on her stool. Raven sighed, and then hung her head. "The answer that you're looking for it is to huff and puff and blows the douse down."

"Yes," Mr. Badwolf said with much relief. "Yes, indeed. Finally, a correct response! You are worst group of future evildoers in the history of this school. You will all brig shame to yourselves, to your families and to fairytales everywhere. I hope it is not too late to save you from your goodness."

Mr. Badwolf walked over the chalkboard, grabbed a piece of chalk, and wrote:

 **TRHONEWORK ASSIGNMENT:  
DO SOMETHING ROTTEN AND NASTY BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY FRIDAY.**

"Yay!" Cruel cheered as he rustled his pom-poms. Everyone else groaned.

"The one student who does the rottenest and nastiest thing by the end of school Friday will get an A for the week. The rest of you will get an FF." FF stood for "fairy-fail". "To make it more exciting, the student who earns the A will have the opportunity to pick a prize from my own personal treasure vault." He crossed the room, and, after whispering a secret password, a section of the stone wall slid open. Gold and silver light filled the cauldron room.

Sparrow Hood leaped from his stool and ran to look inside the vault, his fingers twitching as he gazed upon the piles of gems and jewels.

"Is that a silver muffin pan?" Ginger asked

"Look at all that loot," Sparrow said. "One of those golden arrows could buy some sound equipment and new set of drums for the band."

Mr. Badwolf plunged his hand into a chest of gold coins. "Practice your thieving skills, Mr. Hood, and one day you will posses your own treasure vault."

"Raven, aren't you coming?" Ramona said.

Raven was the only student still sitting on a stool. "I don't care about treasure."

"Of curse she doesn't," Sirena whispered to Lizzie. "Her mother is the richest woman in this world."

Raven narrowed her eyes.

The school bell rang, indicating that class was over. The students grabbed their book bags.

"Look to your family stories for inspiration," Mr. Badwolf called as the students headed for the exit. "And remember: only one of you can earn an A for the week."


	5. Princess Practice

The Castleteria was bustling with activity as students ate lunch. The kitchen was at the far end of the room and was separated by a horizontal opening that led to the door. Mrs. Hagatha, a troll lunch lady, threw two very large tablespoons of oil-soaked scrambled eggs over a rubbery burger.

After looking around, still confused by the place, Raven sat down at a table in the corner of the Castleteria, because she could choose where she wanted to, but for that she had to pass near the royals' table. They were stunning together, like a couple of international models slumming at a high school dance, far more glamorous and sophisticated than anyone else in the Castleteria.

"Hello, Queens!" said a melodious voice.

"Apple White, good to see ya" said Raven.

The Apple presence made Raven aware of her own slouching shoulders and scuffed boots and the way her hairs refused to lie in the same direction. She tried so stand up straight but, by comparison, felt too tall and big gaunt.

 _Stop comparing yourself to her,_ Raven scolded herself. _That's probably what turned mother evil in the first place._

Apple had a stunning beauty. The kind that made everyone around her takes a hit on their self-esteem just by being in the same room. Something radiated from within that rendered her irresistible to both genders. Men desired her and women courted her friendship. She had her mother's characteristic, skin white as snow and blood-red lips, but lacked the ebony black hair and instead golden hair that was dropped down in softly curling along the ends. She had fox-like, green eyes, the kind of green that pushed its way through the piles of gritty snow to remind you that spring was coming. In terms of physique, Apple was somewhere between that of a little girl and a young woman: somewhat diminutive and slightly underdeveloped, with small breasts, delicate arms, a tiny waist, slightly wide hips, slim short legs, small hands and dainty feet.

On top of her head had a small golden crown secured with a bright red bow. She was wearing a bright red social shirt under a cream-colored blazer with ball gown sleeves. Apple had a gold bow ring on the right hand, ruby apple earrings in both ears, on the left wrist was a gold spiraled-leaf bangle and an apple-shaped ruby necklace. Her knee-length skirt was in two layers, one red and sporting golden vine designs, and the other pink with white leafs and flowers patterns and a black mesh hem. Under it, she wore gray fishnet stockings. Apple's shoes were red with a curled heel. The backs were designed to look like an apple and the fronts are connected by three gold bows.

"To what do we owe such honor?" said Crystal.

Apple White was extremely royal, so she expected everyone to treat her as such. Normally, her attitude was selfish, spoiled and arrogant and she couldn't be totally guilty for her behavior because she was meant to be. Every mirror on the wall knew she wanted nothing more than for her "Happily Ever After" to come true.

"Oh, don't be so sarcastic, Crystal." Apple smiled kindly, her round rosy cheeks pressing with dimples. "As president of the Royal Student Council, I am personally welcoming every student back to Ever After High."

Though they'd never been close, Apple had always been kind to Raven, even back in nursery-rhyme school. But hanging out with the girl that Raven was destined to poison was a bit awkward.

"Apple!" said an opera voice.

They look back at the staircase and Briar Rose Beauty rushed down it, giving Apple a bouncing hug. Briar possessed a willowy aura of elegance and was beautiful as a model: tall, well-built with an hourglass figure. Her face was less rounded and refined than Apple, giving her an appearance of maturity rather than youth despite being only sixteen. She had a tanned-brown skin, the color of mocha coffee-cocoa drink, naturally pink lips that looked rose petals and bright pinkish-brown eyes. Her brown hair, the color of fallen leaves browned and sleek with the first rain of autumn, was long, thick and wavy with pink streaks running through it. A section of her hair was tied up in a small rosette on the left side of her head.

On Briar's head had her pink crownglasses, sunglasses that work as crown, which were pink with roses on them and her ears were pierced with silver rose surrounded by leaves for earrings. She was wearing a pink blazer with pink rose bushes as shoulder pads, connected by a black chain necklace with a pink gem pendant hanging from it. She also wore a black social shirt and her skirt was layered and pink, shaped like a rosebud with black mesh hems and with a black rose and thorn pattern on it. On the left Briar's wrist was a black bracelet with a pink rose, and on the middle and affectionate finger of the right hand a pink rose ring. On her legs were white tights, decorated with a black pattern of spikes and her shoes were pink with roses on the top and thorns across the front and forming the heel. She carried a black pillow handbag with silver trim and a silver handle.

"Now we're going to have a ball… a slumber ball… literally. We should totally hit the Village Mall and shop for my Book-to-School party. Oh, hi Ravenna! You look mesmerizing. I love the feathery shoulder-piece."

Briar was a kind, loving and hyperactive princess who loved adventure because she was destined to sleep for 100 years before her "Happily Ever After" comes true. She was an "early bird" and "night owl" rolled into one glamorous "social butterfly" who loved all the perks of being a young, fun, and fashionable royal "it girl".

"Can Crystal come? You know that we future snow fairytales have to stick together." said Apple.

"Yeah… and Ravenna come you too." said Briar.

With another "squee" Briar pulled Apple away.

"Hello, fellow fairy tales," a voice called. The mirror mounded on the Castleteria walls suddenly lit up. "It's time for a brand-new edition of _Just Right_!" Theme music for the popular MirrorCast began to play. Everyone stopped eating, or walking, or talking, or all of the above, and turned to watch the nearest mirror.

As her name implies, Blondie's most noticeable feature were her beautiful golden curls. Her facial features were predominantly youthful, such as her round cheeks, dainty smile, and big brown eyes, the colour of a bear and just as fierce.

She was Blondie Locks, daughter of Goldilocks from _The Story of the Three Bears_. One of the ways she make herself a big persona at Ever After High was her MirrorCast news show, which even the teachers watched. Her MirrorCast was a primary source for news, exploits, and gossip.

Blondie was the archetypal high school socialite – she was charming, she was congenial, and she had high standards. But there's just one problem, Blondie lacked the prestige of royalty and thus feels all the more excluded from what she considers a clique of princesses. Blondie tends to exaggerate – read lies – about her fairy tale heritage, at one point insisting that she was a princess herself. Blondie was also known for her tendency to nitpick and criticize seemingly insignificant details, due to her wanting everything to be "just right" – her personal lingo for "perfection". Blondie also became infamous for her lack of consideration for other people's items or space, to the point of stealing things from her friends and completely disregarding her privacy, something easily done thanks to her ability to unlock any locked door.

She had a blue hairband with a large bow, that center was shaped like a teddy bear and her golden earrings were a key and a teddy bear hanging from each of them. She was dressed an old-fashioned outfit, a blue blazer with a key pattern and translucent ruffles on the collar and sleeves, a cream social shirt with black button with a yellow ribbon at the collar. On Blondie's left hand there was a gold charm bracelet, and on the finger of her right hand a padlock ring of the same color. Blondie's skirt was bell-shaped and decorated with a bear portrait of the family of bears in her story, ribbons and porridge bowls at the bottom. She had light blue tights and her ankle boots were black with brown faux fur fold over the cuffs and keys for heels.

"She told everyone that she was a royal, though this was in doubt." said Crystal.

"She calls herself a reporter, but in my opinion, that is also in doubt. Blondie is a snoop, and no information is safe around her." said Ramona.

"Blondie might be able to be as annoying as a feather tickling one's nose, but who doesn't love the latest gossip? What was Blondie going to spill today? A secret romance or a broken curfew?" asked Sirena.

"As usual, I have the latest scoop on what's happening at Ever After High", she announced with a smile. Blondie's thick curls bounced against her shoulders. "On this very morning, Ravenna Queen and the others villains in the General Villainy class were named the worst group of future evildoers in the history of our school by Mr. Badwolf. And that is a direct quote from the spider who sat beside him."

Murmurs arose in the Castleteria.

"But Ravenna and the others have a chance to make things just right." Blondie pressed her face so close to the camera you could count her freckles. "Each student in General Villainy must commit a rotten and nasty act by the end o school on Friday or fairy-fail the assignment. She or he who commits the most rotten and nasty act by the end of school on Friday will get an A and the chance to pick a prize from Mr. Badwolf's treasure vault". Blondie adjusted the bow on top of her head. "The student who wins will be on the right path to evil success. Will it be Ravenna? Will it be Crystal or Sirena? The question of the week is: Who will be the Next Top Villain?"

The words **NEXT TOP VILLAIN** filled the mirror.

"It's going to be me." The camera shot widened. Sirena stood beside Blondie and looked right into the camera.

"Ravenna Queen doesn't want to be a villain and rests of the students are all do-gooders. I'm gonna win for sure."

Blondie stepped in front of the bouncing Siren. "You heard it here first. Sirena von Black claims her going to be Ever After High's Next Top Villain. I'll see you soon with the latest scoop. Remember, if it's not too hot or too cold, it must be _Just Right!_ " The mirror returned to normal. And everyone else went back to living their fairytale lives.

"What are we going to do?" Crystal asked as she slid next to Raven onto the bench.

"I don't want to do something rotten and nasty… I'm thirsty… I… I need something to drink." said Raven.

She walked down the hall to the juice machine and got her fairyberry juice. When she pushed the ice button, she noticed three guys on the staircase. One of them looked familiar. Raven turned her head because she didn't want to stare. The prince she thought she recognized approached her. Raven now realized who he was. She didn't get too excited. Raven turned and tried to still act like she didn't notice him.

Of the three boys, the taller one, who was definitely taller than Raven, was clearly the school's star athlete and the prom king. And the guy who always had dibs on whatever equipment he wanted in the weight room, giving him a lean and athletic build that consists of strong arms and a very muscular torso. His short blond and wavy hair was always looked like he just got out of bed, messy and shaggy. And then his blue eyes, they were dazzling like pools of spring water. He had high cheekbones and an angular jaw, his white skin made him look as the prince charming that every woman dreamed of finding.

He sported a gold crown and was wearing a black button shirt, a pale yellow argyle sweater with a gold collar and lavender and powder blue diamond patterns, a creamy white letterman jacket with dark blue sleeves and gold stripes, lining and embellishments down the front of the jacket, blue jeans and high-top sneakers with gold designs and crown on them.

He striking a manly pose and puffed out his chest, saying, "I'm sure you're charmed to see me."

"Hello, Daring."

For the most part, Daring was his father's son – he was, obviously, quite charming and handsome. He was also quite egotistical and conceited and very infatuated with his appearance, as he is often seen with a mirror or flashing his smile to girls, that make any girl swoon. It was apparent that Daring's sanity, confidence, and happiness all revolve around him seeing himself in the mirror. He had some sense of duty though. He was often seen escorting his future queen, Apple White, and he was well-practiced in gallantry.

"I'm getting my hair trimmed this afternoon. I give the clippings to my favorite charity, BGGB: Blond Guys Gone Bad. I usually get a good turnout audience-wise, so I wanted you to know that I'm happy to save a seat of you. You might have a few bits of hair in your eyes, but that's a small price to pay a front-row view."

"Daring, I've got serious thronework to do."

"Then, as the perfect hero, I offer my assistance to the damsel in distress." With a flourish of his brawny arm, he bowed. "I shall assist you, Ms. Ravenna Queen, with your thronework."

His well-formed mouth smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleaming white teeth, illuminating Raven's juice. But rather than accept an offer of help from the most handsome prince on campus, Raven rolled her eyes. "It isn't for Damsel-In-Distressing class, Daring, and I don't even have this subject. Besides, you can't help. You don't know anything about being a villain."

"Well, that's true. I excel at all thins goodly and courageous. But perhaps we could–"

"I gotta go," Raven said as she scrambled to her feet. "See you later, Daring." Then she teleported away. Daring stared after her, his perfect face clenched in a puzzled expression. Clearly, he wasn't used to being turned down.

Raven was considered the difficult girl of the school that was like a challenge to them, they felt in the obligation to overcome her shield. She believed in love, but she wasn't like a princess who always dreamed of finding a prince charming.

She teleported to her next class, Princessology, that was in the Royal's Wing. This area of the castle was made of crust of rough granite, a beautiful grayish rustic stone, inserted harmoniously into one another. Also it had three great towers, being the one of the center highest, with about a hundred meters of height. The doors were large and made of solid wood with eucalyptus.

In the centre of the Royal Courtyard, had a pond as large as a small lake with flowering lily pads and a wooden bridge that crossed the middle so you could look down at the koi carp. The flower beds were a riot of May colour and even on close inspection they were weed-free. The big apple tree was to be the jewel of the garden. The way it was planned seemed to be drinking in the aromas of the late summer blooms and sinking their teeth into the delicate skin of bright red apples. Outside of the lawn area were four rose bush beds to fill up the square area.

As she walked down the long, elegantly decorated hallway to the classroom, she walked around the floor, admiring the beauty of the place and suddenly, far into the garden, she saw a princess sitting comfortably on a wooden bench in the hallway reading a book. Raven was facing away from the princess when she noticed her, but the princess recognized Raven right away.

"Ravenna!" she screamed, drawing her attention.

Raven turned sideways, staring at him and spoke, with a kind of sleepy joviality, "Hi, Bella! Shouldn't you be in the Castleteria…? Eating?"

Her entire name was Rosabella Beauty, and as the youngest child of the _Beauty and the Beast_ , and kike her mother, she was bookish, intelligent, determined and courageous that sticks up for what she believed, and doesn't judge people by what they looked like. She was a passionate princess with a tender heart for creatures, especially beasts who are treated badly by Fairy Tale society. She fought for what he wanted, and selflessly campaigns for the better treatment of beastly students. She considered all animals beautiful, no matter how homely they may appear. Even though he was from royal heritage she rarely wore a crown.

She had a kind of understated beauty; perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness. Rosabella had an athletic build with a compact, fit, and slim body with light brown skin, the color of coffee with too much cream, and her face was small and heart-shaped with a straight delicate nose like that of a cherub's, plump cheeks and lips that shame the red rose. Her eyes were simply spellbinding. The left eye was a rapturous shade of cerulean blue and hazel-auburn rondured sphere orbited in her right eye. Each one held a coruscate gleam that enhanced their beauty. And then, her long hair was a rich brown, almost with an undertone of red. It was up in a bun and part loose, with curly bangs falling down her face and wavy hair flowing from inside the bun, on top of her head. Rosabella was all about simplicity, making things easy, helping those around her to relax and be happy with what they had. Perhaps that was why her skin glowed so, it was her inner beauty that lit her eyes and softened her features.

In her head had a yellow rose-shaped headpiece, her ears were green leaf earrings and in her nose were square brown glasses with red roses in the corners. She was dressed in an unbuttoned white blazer with brown faux fur collar and roses and leaves pattern, a white social shirt with a vine leaf shaped statement necklace and a yellow vest. Her belt was green with red roses at the center and on her right hand had a gold bracelet, connected by a chain with a red rose ring. Her golden skirt had leaves and vines stamped in the bottom, that was cut like flower petals. Her shoes had leaf wraps around the toes and the heel was a golden flower bulb, with vines and thorns. She was also wearing ankle bracelets, with red flowers, molded leaves and vines that fall to the floor, like roots.

"I'm eating… a book." Rosabella said as she approached Raven, showing a hardcover book in one hand. "What brings you here? Princessology Class has not started yet."

"Sincerely, I teleported here when I was fleeing from Daring's gallantry, it's weird to have the hero of your story courting you."

"Eww! I think you did right. Dexter said he was screaming yesterday in the dorm, enraged that someone had run away from him. I can't understand how Daring and Dexter are so different. Daring always glowed with a deep-red passion. Unfortunately, it is often focusing on himself and Dexter has this rosy tone of one who is in love."

Raven had heard some rumors that Briar's younger cousin could see people for what they truly are as a colored aura around them, but Raven didn't imagine that her aura would be "read" right on their first day of physical contact.

"Oh! It wasn't supposed to tell you that!" said Rosabella ashamed.

"No, ma'am, now that you've started, will end."

"Ok! Do you know what is funny? You have a flaming purple aura of who have a balance between heart and mind, but you'll need to overcome an obstacle before achieving total balance."

"In a few months I will be an evil queen stepmother who still needs to face an obstacle to perhaps get into mental and emotional balance. Okay, that's good. Based on the book you're reading, why don't you say that I will be reborn from the dead, ride on dragons and dominate all the kingdoms of Fairy Tales?"

Rosabella smiled and laughed, and Raven couldn't help but smile along too, even if it was just on the inside. To be in Rosabella company was to feel that you too were someone, that you had been warmed in summer rays regardless of the season.

When the bell rang, announcing the end of the interval, the students dispersed, each to their classrooms, and the corridors were slowly emptying. Side by side, without exchanging words, they were walking toward to the royal's stable. The horses were led from the stable and out the grandstand. Each wore a saddle that matched a member of royalty's signature colors. Raven colors were black and purple with silver accents.

"Good afternoon, princess," the woman in white said. Then she pressed a finger to her pointed chin. "Though I wonder, is it necessary to call an afternoon _good_? Does it not go without saying that all morning are good, for to be without a morning would be very bad indeed?" Since she was from Wonderland, she often said way more words than were necessary.

The teacher was the White Queen from _Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There_. She was one of the two royalties-on-duty of Wonderland. The White Queen wasn't a kind teacher, though, having no qualms about publicly humiliating her students and insisting she was addressed by her full title, "Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen". One noted peculiarity of hers was that she tended to stare off into the distance when asked something, even after she has acknowledged the question itself, was because she, curiously, lived backward in time to a degree, due to the fact she lived through the eponymous looking glass.

She was a tall, graceful, and gorgeously beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair, done up and holds her silver crown on top of it, and startlingly grey eyes, like storm clouds, staring kind that always seemed about to jump from their sockets, caused in some degree, perhaps, by the black-rimmed eye-glasses secured by a heavy cord which she constantly wore. She had the reputation of being very intellectual and was dressed in an entirely in multilayered white dress with shades of gray and a plaidish cape.

"Good morning," the princess replied as they took their places in the classroom.

They were introduced to their horses. Raven's horse was a Friesian, which was jet-black and larger than the others. Its eyes were as red as burning embers. "Uh, my horse looks kinda evil," Raven said nervously. It stomped its hoof as if agreeing.

Apple fed her horse a red apple, which she just happened to have in her book bag. And everyone else, except Raven, patted their horse's head and said hello.

Raven knew how to ride. Her balance was impeccable, and her thought of the relationship between the rider and the horse as a sort of _pas de deux_. That was, until she discovered how easily horses startle. At age nine, she'd been out for a ride and a pair of trumpeters had flown overhead, approaching the pond for a landing. Her horse had reared and she'd been thrown. Luckily no bones were broken. But she never forgot the horse's kicking back legs and its fearful whinny. Though she mastered her equestrian skills, she never fully trusted these creatures again.

Raven ran a hand over her horse. "As long as you don't toss me off you back, we'll get along just fine," Raven told it.

"Majesties," Mrs. Her Majesty called. She was already seated on a beautiful white horse. She held a riding crop in one hand and a megaphone in the other. "Mount your horses, and I shall lead you through the obstacle course. And remember princess, we always rides sidesaddle."

It took Lizzie five tries before she could sit on the saddle and no fall off. "Why can't we play croquet?" she asked, wobbling. "Somebody make this horse stand still!"

Mrs. Her Majesty led us toward the field. She spoke into her megaphone. "This is the starting point." A sign read: START HERE. "You will then follow the golden path." She pointed to the ground where a path had been created out of gold-colored bricks. "Stay to this path until reach the end, and you will succeed. Veer off the path, and your will fail." With a flick of her riding crop, she moved up the path she reached some people. "Your first obstacle will be an adoring crowd." A group of villagers stood in a clump. They weren't actual villagers. Raven recognized a few of them from the Castleteria kitchen. But they were dressed in costumes and held bouquets of flowers and autograph books. They cheered as the royals neared. "Always wave and smile." Mrs. Her Majesty demonstrated.

Raven also thought it was easy, but Lizzie was wobbling in the saddle and holding on to the reins for dear life.

Mrs. Her Majesty led them to another group of people. "Next you will be greeted by an angry crowd." The costumed "villagers" were now holding rakes and baskets of rotten fruit, which they proceeded to toss.

"Hey!" Lizzie said. "Stop that! I order you to stop that."

"Why are they throwing things?" Apple said a mold covered strawberry whizzed past her head. "My subjects would never be angry with me. I love each and every one of them." It was well know that the people in Apple White's kingdom wore I LOVE APPLE WHITE shirts.

"A princess must always be prepared," Mrs. Her Majesty said as she kicked her horse into a canter. "One never knows which way the wind may blow. One day you're beloved, the next day you're despised."

They followed Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen as she led us around the obstacle course, instructing us on the proper procedure. There was heaps of dragon dung to avoid. There was a moat to cross and an old crone to ignore. They came to a bridge that was guarded by a cranky troll. Tiny, a giant, had dug a deep ravine beneath the bridge, and troll threatened to push anyone who tried to cross. When he blocked Lizzie's path, she bonked him on the head with her specter.

Raven and Crystal crackled.

Hearing it, made the White Queen felt a lump in her throat. Raven's mom was the Evil Queen, and while they were so different, they looked so much alike. For a split second, the White Queen remembered the last words spoken before facing the Evil Queen, "I'm not afraid of you, or your evil kind."

But she discovered that she was a liar of the worst kind. She was too terrified to speak, but no matter how she listened to herself, she heard herself shouting, resisting, and running away from her castle, of her subjects, of her duty as queen of defend her people from any and all evil. She failed. She prided herself on her clarity of thought in any circumstances, but now?


	6. A Massive Slumber Party

"Just look at her eyes, her skin," whispered one of her maids.

"I did not think it possible," a groomsman whispered back, "but she is becoming even more beautiful than her mother."

"So beautiful," said a manservant. "The _perfect_ Snow White."

"Well, except for the hair. A shame she was born blond."

"I think her blond hair I even lovelier than her mother's black hair."

"How can you? The fairytale specifies 'hair like ebony'–"

"Listen, the hair doesn't matter. Her eyes, her nose, those lips, that profile! She is definition of beauty."

Their yelling voices echoed down the hallway into bedroom, waking Apple from her beauty sleep. She turned her face to the golden mirror. No matter what she did, there was no where she could hide from the thoughts in her head. She wants to prove that she was pretty enough to be a queen, black hair or blond. She wanted to prove she could rule like one.

She finished getting ready by pinning a casual-wear tiara into her golden robe and headed up, to the Royal Common Room.

The common room was an always elegant circular room, marble floors, carved columns, sort of a fun-sized ballroom. It was filled with golden armchairs, tables and a squashy bulletin board where school notices, advertisements, lost posters, etc. can be posted. It was decorated in various shades of red. There were too many windows that look out onto the grounds of the school, and a large fireplace dominated one wall. The mantle of the fireplace was adorned with a portrait of an apple tree. The walls were decorated with scarlet tapestries depicting princesses and princes, but also several animals.

Tonight, it was simply enchanting. Briar had borrowed gold wire from Professor Rumpelstiltskin and crisscrossed it like streamers above their heads, providing perches of hundreds of live birds. Enchanted ivy was slowly growing, climbing up a wooden trellis in the center of the room. Beneath the trellis, Melody Piper was deejaying at the turntables, mixing and N-Chant single with some Lil Swain.

"Apple! You are totally fairest." Briar flung her long hair over her shoulder and gave Apple cheek kisses. As always, Briar was dressed to party, tonight in a pink and white romper with black thorn patterns, a darker pink robe with pink ruffles around the edge and her light pink slippers that had roses on the front and thorns running across them.

Briar thrust a crystal cup with a silver spoon into Apple's hands. "Whipped air. Try it. Totally invisible and totally good."

Apple dipped the spoon into the empty cup and touched it to her tongue. The nothingness tasted like chocolate-raspberry swirl.

"Mm, this is amazing. You are the queen of parties, Briar."

"Yeah, well, you never know when you're going to prick your finger on a spindle and sleep for a hundred years, so I've got to live it up white I can!"

"Am I late?" asked Ashlynn Ella rushed through the doors. She looks down at her mint robe as if expecting it to turn to rags. "Am I late? I hate being late."

Ashlynn Ella was a kind, pure, hardworking and sensible girl who isn't afraid to speak her mind when she saw that things were wrong. She also liked to be punctual, since if she arrives late her dress transforms into rags. Though she will go from rags to riches like her mother Cinderella, Ashlynn was by no means superficial instead she was humble and down to earth and doesn't wish to follow her destiny simply because of a pretty ball gown, but instead because she believed it was the right thing to do.

"Welcome to my Book-to-School party!" said Briar.

"You're fine. You're on time, don't lose a glass slipper." said Apple.

"Oh good," Ashlynn said, quickly cleaning dirt from under her fingernails. "I went into the forest to help a mother fox relocate her nest and completely lost track of time."

Ashlynn was exceptionally beautiful, elegant, and graceful with an average height, and flawless black skin as coal inside a coal mine two thousand feet below the surface with no lights. Her face was softly-shaped possessing natural brownish-pink lips and her eyes were grey, not a dull, unremarkable grey like that of concrete or stone. They were the grey of the last ashes on a fire. Ashlynn's hair was long, dark like the midnight sky, and shiny like silk, tied up in a bun, with a bright green hair tie in the shape of hearts and flowers.

"No sweat, Ash. Het, could you be a dear?" Briar pointed up the hundreds of silent songbirds. "I thought they'd sound spellbinding on the bass line."

"I tried earlier," said Apple. "But when I sing to them, they just get frantic and flap around trying to save me from something."

Ashlynn spoke to the birds. They tweeted questions at her in bird language, she answered in her own words, and soon the birds were chirping the bass line of Melody Piper's music. It's a universal truth that birds love princess, but only Cinderella's daughter understood their language.

More students arrived, children of famous princes and princesses. When their parents, the Class of Classics, had ruled Ever After High, they had kept the royals spate from the commoners. And things went on as they were in the past.

This was Briar's party, but Apple and the other princesses stood beside her as the welcoming committee: Ashlynn Ella, Adria Cabello, Duchess Swan, Darling Charming and Meeshell Mermaid. Ever After High had more princesses than a theme park. Ruby Ridinghood, one of Apple's best friends forever after, also joined them.

"Apple!" said Blondie Locks. "I love that nightgown. Not too short, not too long… just right!"

She claimed that her mother, Goldilocks, was a queen somewhere. Apple wasn't so sure, but Blondie was a gossiper, and, oh, those golden curls!

"Thanks, Blondie. Your slippers are… wait… is that bear fur?"

Blondie's hair was tied in a high ponytail and accentuated it with a large blue bear bow. She wore a cream robe with a brown fur neckline with short sleeves and a ruffly blue shirt underneath. Her fuzzy slippers bear-shaped were brown.

" _Faux_ bear fur," said Blondie, stroking her slippers.

And then the door opened as if by wind, blowing out candles. In came Raven.

"Whoops, sorry," said Raven, trying to grab the door before it slammed into the wall. "That's new."

Melody Piper stopped the music with a scratch. The birds swallowed their song. The Common Room became uncommonly quiet. Some royals rubbed their arms as if they felt a chill.

"Oh, calm down," said Apple. "It's just Raven."

"Yeah, come on! Party time!" said Briar

Melody Piper started playing music again, but the birds didn't join in. Briar reached up and nudged a bird with her finger, trying to get it to sing. The bird clapped its beak shut a shook its head, keeping one round eye trained on Raven.

"Hey, maybe I should just go…" Raven started to turn.

"Nonsense!" said Ashlynn, taking her by the arm and pulling her farther into the room. "You are most certainly welcome. Everyone, be nice!"

The mood seemed to relax. Ashlynn nodded, satisfied. She believed there was almost nothing a few encouraging words and warm smile couldn't fix. Even back in nursery-rhyme school, Ashlynn had to scold the other children of being a bit hard on the Evil Queen's daughter. But this time the things were becoming more intense. Despite her mother, Raven had always been a nice girl. Yes, she would grow up to poison and rampage and try to destroy all happiness, but that was no reason not to be civil.

"You look bewitching tonight, Raven," said Ashlynn with her charming, pleasant, and highly melodious voice that was comparable to that of a songbird.

Raven's hair was straight and her bangs were pulled back. She wore a light purple nightgown with black, white and dark purple ravens printed on it, and dark purple and black ruffles attached at the bottom. She sported a dark purple robe over her nightgown complete with black feather at the end of the sleeves. Her slippers were black with a shattered mirror on the front, and had a spiked heel.

"Really?" Raven whispered. "Then why is everyone looking at me like I'm some warty toad?"

"Hey!" said Hopper Croakington II, who happened to be passing by.

"Sorry, Hopper," said Raven.

Ashlynn took Raven by the arm and walked her to the refreshment table, where Darling Charming was sampling a cup of whipped air.

"Darling, say hello to Raven," said Ashlynn.

Darling started at Raven with unblinking eyes. They were round, huge and commanding, under the blonde brows. But startling impression of the eyes lay mostly in their color, a curiously metallic blue, like the glitter on a polished dagger. The blue was concentrated as well as intense, and the blonde lashes, long and shining, did not diminish it.

"Hello," Darling said flatly.

She had that movie star look, not overly tall and willowy, but more like an action star. Her muscle definition was perfect and she had the confidence of someone a decade older. Darling's pearl white skin so delicate that she looked like a porcelain doll with a delicate nose and her pale-pink lips was slightly opened like an unfurling petal. Her platinum blonde hair was luxurious, long and wavy with blue highlights, pulled back by her slumber mask.

Darling dressed a silver baby doll dress with a blue bow adorning the top and a scalloped hem silver skirt with a silver overlay that had a blue and pink chain pattern on it. Her slippers were translucent blue, with silver chains.

"Hey, Darling," said Raven. Then to Ashlynn, "I really don't need to stay. I'll just go say hi to Crystal and–"

"Nonsense," said Ashlynn. "You have every right to be here."

Darling looked down her nose at Raven. "I don't usually hang out with commoners."

"Not that such thins matter, Darling," said Ashlynn. But Raven _is_ the daughter of a queen–"

"An _Evil_ Queen." A playful light danced in Darling's eyes.

"I don't want to belong any place that has close-minded royals like you!"

"Looking forward to that, are you, Ravenna? Pretending to be nice all the time must be exhausting. I'll bet you can't wait to sign that book and embrace your fate."

Ashlynn started to suspect chatting with Darling wasn't helping matters. She took Raven's hand and tried to move her away, but the Common Room was crowded and she bumped into Lizzie Hearts.

"Excuse me," said Ashlynn.

"Off with her head!" replied the Queen of Heart's daughter. "Did that sound commanding enough? I've been practicing."

Her per hedgehog leaped from her shoulder, curled up and rolled into the crowd, and Lizzie chased after him, shouting, "Step not on my pet o I shall call an army down on your heads!"

"Now there's a future villain who doesn't pretend," said Darling, nodding at Lizzie Hearts. "She's destined to be an Evil Queen, and she owns it. Why are you so afraid to own it, Ravenna?"

"Back off, Darling Charming!" said Raven.

"At least _I'm_ not a villain," said the daughter of the King Charming.

"At least my greatest ambition isn't waiting for a prince to save me because I'm too _weak_ to fight with a dragon."

"Now, you two, this is a slumber party!" Ashlynn said as sugary and warm as fresh cobbler. Neither of them looked at her.

A cruel sneer formed on Darling's smooth face and she leaned forward, eyes bearing straight into Raven. "Oh, wait, maybe I'm totally wrong. Maybe you actually believe you _are_ nice." Darling tilted her head, looking at Raven with an expression of mock concern. "You poor, sweet child. Did your daddy lie to you when you were just a wee little hatchling? Die he promise you that you had 'good heart' and that if you wanted, you could grow up to be just as nice and stupid and boring as he is?"

Ashlynn held her breath. Her face burned. Not at Darling's rudeness. No, the heat was coming from Raven's hand, which had suddenly become hot. Summer-pavement hot. Four-and-twenty-blackbirds-baked-in-a-pie hot.

"Raven…" Ashlynn said, carefully letting go of Raven's hand.

The way Raven's eyes squinted when Darling glared at her reminded her of a pit viper's slit-like pupils. Darling gulped nervously. A burning animosity was developing in her amethyst orbs, and Darling could tell she was likely the root cause of the problem. The verdict was told. Darling had been reflecting longer than usual, past the point. There was a tenseness Raven wasn't even trying to mask. Darling backed away, nothing about this was making sense, not Raven's curling fists or the anger that radiated from her skin.

"Don't," Raven breathed. "Ever," she whispered. "Talk," she muttered. "About," I said. "My father!" she shouted. "Ever! After! _Again!_ "

The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Just below her eye was a small cut where the ring had caught her. Darling staggered backwards, clutching her face, eyes watering.

"Don't you dare slap my face again, or you'll see what really will happen to you, you'll become something you really won't like." Darling gave Raven a weird look while holding one of her cheeks.

"I got a tiny little question to ask ya, who's that witch that's on the top? Oh wait... that's me!" Raven exclaimed, her anger and hatred getting the better of her. She closed the distance between Darling. Her voice lowered, almost to a whisper. "Gimme a challenge, I'll crush ya all. I'll send them princesses home like a heart attack. Mess with me and you wind up in a casket."

In a sudden movement, Raven turned and strode to the door of the room. The others looked at Darling like a bird that has been shot. Raven heard a familiar hummingbird-like flapping of fairy wings.

"I guess you lost my invitation, Briar Rose." said he coming out of the window. "Looks like this place could use a bit of… misbehavior."

Then a blue energy exploded from him. Fortunately for the partygoers, the magic burst upward. Unfortunately for the birds, it hit those dead on. The gold vines hanging from the ceiling swung wildly, and the birds were no longer birds. Fat, shiny snakes now clung to the wires with clumsy tails. They began to hiss in alarmed unison.

Someone creamed.

The snakes couldn't hold on and began dropping down. Some landed on the marble floor with wet slaps, but most landed on people's heads and shoulders. More people screamed. The birds-turned-snakes were by nature afraid of snakes. They began to write about frantically trying to get away from one another, knocking over lamps and statues, the ones on the tables upsetting candlesticks and cups of whipped air. Invisible food terrified oinks and charged through the crowd, desperate for any exit.

"Quit down, please," Briar said. She tried to hum a calming sort of tune. But no one could hear her over all that screaming.

"It's the Dark Fairy!"

"He's turning everyone into snakes!"

"Run for your lives!"

Snakes and people alike were trying to flee, but it was Raven who was the first one out the door. She bolted down the garden path like an Olympic champion at the start gun. She could feel her heart throbbing inside her chest. Her skin felt like it was roasting. She began bouncing slightly as she jogged, which wore her out quickly. She went to her knees, her lungs felt like they would burst and her throat was so dry.

"They will never have _any_ reason to care what you believe, how you think or why you believe it!"

She looked up, momentarily surprised. She blinked her eyes, trying to focus. Faybelle was beautiful and inhumanly so, somewhere between feminine beautiful and masculine handsome with a pale-grayish skin. He was quite taller and his frame was slight in an athletic way, not weak, just lean and muscular. Faybelle's had a chiseled face and his eyes were large, blue and glistering like jewels when he was happy, but dark and like daggers when he was angry. His glossy hair was platinum blond with the entire left side shaved and his bangs, were streaked with blue, cut at an arch and rested just above his right eye.

He was wearing a white robe with spindle wheels pattern.

Raven walked quickly toward the opening area that was a lot farther away than it had seemed. She thought about going to another bench, but this was her favorite place. It was her refuge, where she escaped into her own little world.

"And you have? Do you care about me?" Raven's eyes brimmed with tears as she looked away.

The night sky stood an inky canopy of darkness freckled only by the fewest of stars, where just hours ago it had been a blue summer's day. The occasional hoot of a hidden owl was the only sound to permeate the silence until a chorus of slapping footsteps and crunching gravel echoed angrily into the emptiness of the night. As voices quickly followed the owl omitted a screech of protest and took flight.

This reminded her of the Dark Forest, growing up there didn't have all the glamour of a fairytale kingdom, but nothing could beat their cookouts. However, Raven also felt conflicted. The Evil Queen and Mrs. Thorn got into a bragging match over whose child was better. Over at the kid's table, Faybelle and Raven rolled their eyes and laughed at them. But it happened again next year, and the year after that. Eventually, Faybelle took his mother's pride to heart. He saw Raven as a competition, not as a friend.

"As much as I care about you, and I do care about you probably more than I'm willing to admit, I have to take care of myself first."

"I wanted to tell you how hurt I was when you stopped being my friend. It's not my fault if my mother didn't call you. I was young–"

"The party invitation was just the beginning… you know… from the horrible things our mothers did. Ravenna, this is my curse for being who I am! And I accept this because I love myself." His mouth was a tight slit cut horizontally across his pointed chin but he had a surprisingly strong, confident, baritone voice.

Raven doesn't know what made her mad, how acidic his words were or how she knew he was right. Taking her completely by surprise, he gave a warm and tight hug. And then Raven was in his arms, crying gently. She buried her face in his neck and surrendered to the sadness and anger swirling inside her. In his arms she felt safe and his heartbeat promised security.

Faybelle had a kind of brutal honesty that tested most friendships, but Raven appreciated it. Raven always knew where she stood with him. And he was generous to a fault, both with his time and his possessions. She got the feeling that he had few friends and so his loyalty to those who stuck with his was fierce. Some friends are for a reason, some are for a season and some are for life. Faybelle was for life. Raven loved him.

The thought of not being the Evil Queen kept Raven up all night. The more she thought about it, she felt mother-goosebumps on the back of her neck. It's the way of fairytales to follow in their parent's fabled footsteps, but Raven truthfully never wanted to be a bad guy. She always wanted to make the world happier.

When she was a little girl, she would cast spells to make flowers burst into butterflies! Then one day her magic just didn't work right, and instead the flowers would burst into flames.

Ever since then, her magic backfires whenever she uses it for good. Like the time she tried to rescue the neighbor's cat from a tree. Instead of gently easing it down, the tree flung the cat across the neighborhood. She thought she was in trouble, but her mom beamed with pride. She said "dark magic" was expected from her, and rewarded her with a shopping trip for new spiked black shoes and a coat of infinite darkness. Even though she loved her new outfit, she felt horrible for what she did. In fact, the only times she did get in trouble was when she was nice.

She finally fell asleep, wishing that there was some way to change her destiny.


	7. Restacking the Deck

It was Wednesday morning, soon after all the various alarm clocks chimed, buzzed, tweeted, and chirped. Lizzie Hearts was running late, as usual. Mornings were always a major drama. "Why didn't anyone lay out my clothes? Why do I have to choose what to wear? Has anyone seen my scepter?"

"If you took the time to be organized the night before, then you wouldn't have to go through this every morning," Crystal said.

"The word _organized_ doesn't even exist in Wonderland," Lizzie said. "Besides, if I were black in Wonderland, I'd have my own playing-card army to help me in the morning. I'm still not used o doing all these chores by myself."

Lizzie crawled under her the bed, then reemerged with the deck in hand. "Oooh, I've been looking for this." It was not only Crystal who possessed magical powers. One of Lizzie's powers was to build anything with her deck of Wonderland cards. They took their belongings and left their dormitory.

The morning Mirrornews was under way. "Good morning, Ever After High students. Today's weather forecast is sunny-ever-after, with a one hundred percent possibility of rainbows. The Castleteria breakfast special is a choice of porridge, gruel, or bran flakes."

Most of the students were streaming into the Castleteria grumbled with disappointment. Porridge and gruel were the traditional way to begin the fairytale day, but the student who seemed to like the stuff was Blondie Locks.

"I brought cinnamon trolls!" Ginger announced.

The students went berserk, pushing and shoving to get to the trays. It was a feeding frenzy! In the wink of an eye, the trays were emptied and everyone in the vicinity, except for Ginger and Mr. Badwolf, had sticky finger. Pastries were consumed. Fingers were licked clean. Tea was poured, and the Castleteria was once again filled with conversation and activity.

Ginger cupped her hands and hollered, "Doesn't anyone feel sleepy?"

"This cinnamon troll gave me a sugar rush. I'm ready to huff and puff and blow houses down." Ramona said.

Mr. Badwolf's hair bristled. "Is this your idea of rotten and nasty?" he asked Ginger. "Giving everyone a sugar rush?"

"No," Ginger said frantically. "I put sandman powder in the icing. Everyone is supposed to fall asleep and miss class."

" _Supposed to_ don't count," he said as he whipped out his clipboard. "You earn a fairy-fail, Ms. Breadhouse. I only hope my other students don't disappoint me as much as you have." He strode back to teaches' lounge.

Ginger had worked hard, but she didn't seem too unhappy. She just shrugged and said, "Oh well. At least everyone likes my baking."

Blondie's face filled the mirrors.

"Hello, fellow characters. Don't rush off to class just yet, because I've got the latest scoop for you." The theme muse-ic for _Just Right_ blasted from the speakers. Blondie demanded attention, and she always got it. "I know everyone is talking about the Next Top Villain. This just in: another of the constants has been eliminated. Ginger's attempt to cast an evil spell on the students of Ever After High went wrong this morning. Look like Ginger's a big fairy-fail."

Photos appeared on the screen, one of each General Villainy student. Ginger's face had a gold X over it.

"That leaves five students still in the running. But three of them – Crystal, Lizzie, and Ravenna – have double thronework. Will one of them quit under the pressure? Will it be… Lizzie? Stay tuned. And remember, if it's not too hot or not too cold, it must be _Just Right!_ " Then the mirrors went dark.

The princesses moved on to the royal stable for another Princessology class. At some point the night before, Blondie had strung another banner from wall to wall.

 **WHO WILL WIN THE NEXT TOP VILLAIN?**

 **WATCH** ** _JUST RIGHT_** **FOR THE LATEST SCOOP.**

Raven rolled her eyes. Who would have thought a thronework assignment would get so much attention?

"Did you read the hext from Blondie?" Apple asked.

"No."

"She said that Lizzie Hears might quit the Next Top Villain contest,"

"So?"

"So?" Apple squeaked. "You should be happy to hear that news. If Lizzie quits, it will make it easier for you to win. You're going to win, right?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Apple whipped around. "But you must win. You're destined to ne my Evil Queen."

"What-ever-after," Raven grumbled. "Look, I'm trying to read."

Apple's eyes widened. "What are you reading? Is it for your General Villainy thronework? What are you going to do? Will it be scary? Am I going to be the victim, which I'm totally willing to do, by the way? Should I alert the dwarves?"

Raven didn't say anything. She turned the page, keep walking and reading her hextbook.

"Oh, she makes my blood boil!" Lizzie said.

"Who makes your blood boil?" Duchess asked.

"That Blondie Lockes and her gossipy MirrorCast. I'm not quitting. I'm totally capable of doing both thronework assignments. I'm… ouch!" She rubbed her bottom.

"What's that matter?" Duchess asked.

"I'm so sore," Lizzie moaned. "I've been practicing my equestrian skills all week. But my horse and I got into a big fight. When I ordered it to go left, it went it right. And when I ordered it to stop, it kept on going. So I gave it a time-out, but in nipped me. And Blondie was there and she saw the whole thing. You're so lucky you don't have to practice."

Duchess smiled sympathetically. "I've been riding my whole life. It must be hard to start learning so late."

"I wouldn't have to ride a horse if this school were in Wonderland. My playing-card army would carry me wherever I wanted to go!" Lizzie marched.

"Lizzie?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and not give away her evil intentions. "You seem totally stressed out. Why not focus on the Princessology thronework and forget about the General Villainy thronework?"

Just then, both of their MirrorPhone chimed. It was a hext from Blondie:

 **Be sure to watch JUST RIGHT tomorrow to see if Lizzie quits under pressure.**

Lizzie tossed her phone onto the ground. "She thinks she's much better than me, just because she had that stupid show. Well, I'm the daughter of a _real_ queen. She's the daughter of some girl who scared a bunch of bears." Lizzie cheeks turned as red as the hearts on her pants. "She wants a scoop? I'll give her a scoop. I'm gonna go all Evil Queen on her. Just you wait and see." She pulled a card out of her magic deck, her mother, the Queen of Hearts, had written inspirational messages of them, and Lizzie often consulted her mother's advice in times of crisis. "Look, a book is a terrible thing to taste," Lizzie read out loud.

"What does that mean?" asked Duchess.

Lizzie took a book from her school backpack. "It means the Princess of Hearts isn't going to quit!"

"What are you doing?" Duchess asked.

"I'm doing my General Villainy thronework, that's what I'm doing. I'll teach Blondie a lesson, Wonderland-style."

"What's your plan?" Duchess asked.

"You know how Mr. Badwolf told us to look to our family stories for inspiration? Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do." Lizzie sat on a nearby bench. Duchess sat next to her. "Have you ever read this?" Lizzie asked as she opened the book to its title page.

 _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_

"I remember my foster mother reading it to me," Duchess said.

Shuffle, the hedgehog, crawled out from inside the bag and sat on Lizzie's lap while she flipped through the pages. There was a drawing of a girl named Alice who was wearing an apron. There was another drawing of Alice with a neck as long as telescope. Lizzie pointed and giggled. "That looks pretty rotten and nasty to me."

"You're going to stretch her into a giant?" Duchess asked. "Buy you don't have the power to do that."

"Oh, relax. I'm not going to enlarge her," Lizzie said. "Can you imagine? She's loud enough in her _normal_ size." Lizzie pointed to the text. "But look, Alice got so big she couldn't fit through the garden door. She was trapped! That's what I'm going to. I'm going to trap Blondie. She won't be able to move. And she won't be able to do her MirrorCast!"

She pushed the book aside and set Shuffle on the grass. Then Lizzie grabbed her deck of cards and, with a practiced flick of her wrist, the cards flew into the air.

The filigreed cards soared overhead, then fell around Shuffle; The hedgehog squeaked as the cards formed a little log cabin. Shuffle's snout wiggled as it stuck out the bench. There was no place for her to turn around, and no door from which from escape.

Lizzie smiled at her accomplishment.

Duchess crouched next to the card house. "Wow. Your mom would be really proud." Lizzie was showing signs of villainous potential. If she carried out his plan, she'd surely get the A.

"Of course, I'll only entrap Blondie for a little while," Lizzie explained. "This will teach Blondie a lesson. Don't mess with the heart of Wonderland!" Lizzie snapped her fingers. And he cards flew back into their box.

Shuffle waddled off.

Lizzie tucked her deck inside her bag. "Do you know what you're going to do?" she asked Duchess.

"No," Duchess lied.

"You'll figure something out. You always get the best grades. Well, I'm already going to class, you coming with me?"

Duchess nodded confirming.

They stood up and started walking towards into the classroom where they should be. When Duchess's hand touched the knob, someone stopped her.

"Hello, Queens! Can I have a quick chat with you, Duchess?" said Raven.

"We're late for class, Raven," replied Duchess.

"No problem. What I have to talk to you will be very fast, _Duchess_." Raven took Duchess' hand and went pulling toward the girls' bathroom.

"Are you spying on me or on Lizzie?" She rested her chin in her hand. "Trying to find out what we're doing for General Villainy?"

She looked startled, then blinked.

"I know it's you. You want me to think you're Duchess, but I can tell it's _you_. Want to know how?"

Raven laid her hand on Sirena's shoulder, turning her gently to meet their truly reflections in the mirror. As far as Sirena knew, she can change people's perceptions so that she cans shapeshifting into anyone who matches their target.

Raven whispered in Sirena's ears, "The mirrors never lie to me."

Pulled her hand free of Sirena, Raven turned around, left the bathroom, and slammed the door shut behind her. There was a momentary flare of anger in Sirena's face and then her breath coming in gasps. She felt the tears, private tears, wetting her cheeks, and let them fall; this was what made her special, this was her sanctuary, after all.

After the classes were over, the students went to Castleteria behind their respective lunches. Lizzie had been nervous all the lunch.

"What's your problem, Hearts?" Sirena said.

"Mind your own rabbit hole!" Lizzie said.

"You're in a rotten mood," Sirena said. "Hey you're not planning something rotten and nasty, are you? I heard you were going to quit."

"That's a big, fat fable." Lizzie clenched her jaw. "I'm not telling you anything." Lizzie set her cup on the table. "Now, I order you to go away. You're blocking my view."

"View of what?' She looked around. "Are you drooling over Charming like all the other girls?" Daring was sat two tables away, surrounded by his groupies.

"I don't care about Daring Charming." She rolled up her sleeves, preparing for the big surprise. "Listen, stop bothering me. I have a lot on my mind, and I need to pay attention… Oh, there she is," Lizzie said with a gasp.

Blondie Lockes hurried into the Castleteria, with the MirrorPad in hand. She spun left, then right, always on the lookout for a scoop. Spying Lizzie, she headed straight for the table. "So, are you going to quit?" she asked. She didn't even bother with a "good morning".

"To quit or not to quit? That is the question." Lizzie said.

"I conducted an official poll," Blondie said. "Well, maybe not official. I asked a bunch of people, and most of them think you're going to quit because there's no way can compete with Raven." Blondie pressed the record button on her MirrorPad. "Are you going to quit?"

Lizzie growled. Then she leaped to her feet. I had seen Lizzie throw a fit before, but I'd never seen her like this. Her fists were clenched, and her face turned so red it looked as if it had been painted. "You want to know if I'm going to quit?" she asked as she climbed onto the table. "You want to know if I'm going _to quit?_ "

The Castleteria went silent as everyone turned to watch the spectacle that was unfolding in the center of the room. I raised my eyebrows. For a moment, the only sound was Lizzie's crazed breathing. Lizzie reached into her pocket and pulled out the box of cards. This was it. I felt a little hexcited with the situation.

Lizzie opened the card box. "A Heart might twitter, a Heart might flitter, but the Princess of Hearts is never quitter. Prepare yourself for something rotten and nasty." She tossed her cards at Blondie.

Everyone gasped. The cards flew through the air. Lizzie beamed with happiness. The cards fell at Blondie's feet. No one moved. Somewhere in the Castleteria, a cricket chirped. I look to Lizzie stood on the table, her mouth open with surprise. "Holly rabbit hole! These cards are not mine." She pointed at the cards.

Mr. Badwolf strode over to the table. His coffee mug had the words WORLD'S BADDEST DAD printed on the side. "Throwing cards at someone is neither rotten nor nasty." He looked up at her. "You didn't even give your intended victim a paper cut. I'm very disappointed." He waved his clipboard. "Fairy-fail for you… Mrs. Hearts."

Blondie typed something onto her MirrorPad, and a big gold X appeared over Lizzie's photo on all mirrors.

Lizzie jumped off the table and picked up one of the cards, staring at it with confusion. "How did these ordinary cards get into my Wonderland box? I demand an answer!"

Sirena gave Raven a conspiratorial look. Raven stepped close to Lizzie and spoke quietly to her. "I wouldn't worry about it," she said. "What's done is done. Now you can focus on the Princessology thronework. That's more important to you, right?" Hopefully, Lizzie would see this as no big deal.

But that's when Daring Charming stepped forward, with a grand sweep of his arm, he before Lizzie. Then, standing as straight as a tree, he cleared his throat and said, "It is my duty as the hero, to come to the damsel's rescue." He pointed at Raven. "She took a deck of cards."

"Ravenna? Did you switch my cards?" Lizzie asked, her voice cracking with emotion. "Did you ruin my thronework?"

Everyone was waiting for the answer. Everyone was starting at her, expect for Sirena, who already knew the answer. She was eating the last of Raven's ham. Raven stood so stiffly she felt like a statue.

"You must be kidding me, Daring. After I finished the obstacles of the Princessology class, I kept reading my book..."

Then she realized, she had no way of defending herself, because she was the first to finish the course. The "Raven" that Daring had seen wasn't her, but Siren in disguise.

Everyone was glared at Raven. She took a long, deep breath, trying to keep herself calm.

Lizzie's eyes filled with tears. "How could you? Is it not enough for your mother to have cursed my land?" She grabbed her book bag and ran off.

"Lizzie, wait!" Raven called. She wanted to explain. But Lizzie was gone, her sobs fading. An ache filled Raven's heart.

Mr. Badwolf patted her on the shoulder. "Sabotaging your competitors was a good start, Ms. Queen. But making her cry is even better." He tucked the clipboard under his arm.

"I knew you'd do it. I knew you'd be bad," said Apple White, who as bouncing on her toes.

"Shut up!" said Raven, teleportation herself after.

Then Raven was on Lizzie's room. Her room was literally the same as a princess. It was all red with some furniture being made of gold and leather, less its floor, it was covered with synthetic grass. Everything was decorated according to the architecture of the Elizabethan age, stylized in hearts or in cards.

Lizzie was lying on her bed and she cried like there was too much raw pain inside her to be contained. She cried like her spirit needed to break loose from her skin, desperate to release an elemental rage on the world.

"Lizzie?"

"NO!" She points to me menacingly. "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"

"You have to believe me, it was not me. I know the historic you have with my family and I wouldn't dare do something about you, something that would leave you in that way.

"I don't believe you!" She threw a pillow in Raven's direction without looking.

And then it happened again, suddenly and imperiously, Raven's face flushed a fiery red, her eyes glittering with manic fury. Raven walked toward Lizzie, turned her, took her by his arms and shook her, "IT WAS NOT ME! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD! GET OUT OF THIS PERFECT LITTLE WORLD THAT YOU LIVE. YOU'RE NO LONGER IN WONDERLAND. FACE YOUR NEW REALITY LIKE QUEEN. IF I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST YOU, THE FIRST THING WOULD HAVE PUT AN END TO THIS ANNOYING HEDGEHOG!"

Lizzie looked frightened, lowered her head and let go of her hands, "How will I know it wasn't you?"

"You're the next Queen of Hearts, co-ruler of Wonderland, your cards don't only serve to set up castles or make them army, and you should know that you can do more things than that."

She yelled back, ""Co-rule? I cannot even return to Wonderland!"

"Lizzie, why do you always have to yell?"

"My mother says it's the only way to rule your subjects." She slams the bed.

Raven folded her arms and affirms strongly, "We're not your subjects, we're your friends! Did you talk to your mother?"

She started taking a large card deck from her book bag. "She gave me a daily deck of instructions for the whole school year!" She hands one to Raven.

She started to read. "Rule my way, I'll be watching! Huh. Lizzie, being a queen doesn't mean we have to do exactly what your mothers did." Raven hand the cards back to Lizzie.

"If I were home, I would be privately tutored to be the perfect Royal that Wonderland needs. For you see, my destiny is to be the next Queen of Hearts. Instead I'm at Ever After High, taking classes like General Villainy and have to this thronework."

Raven hooks her arm around Lizzie shoulder. "This is your home now. Perhaps you should stop shouting OFF WITH YOUR HEAD so much? Your classmates take it quite literally."

"What a bunch of Alices," She mumbled under her breath. "People believe I'm a few cards short of a full deck because I often yell 'OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!' But where I come from that phrase is simply a common courtesy. If someone brings you tea, you thank them by saying, 'OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!' If they win at cards, you congratulate them with an 'OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!' You see? People shouldn't take it so literally. I don't understand this place. Everyone sees things in black and red."

"Elizabeth, throw the cards and clear your mind, I know you can do this." Raven kissed Lizzie on the forehead before she left Lizzie with a thousand questions flowing through her head.

Outside the room, Sirena waited anxiously.

"Making friends, cuz?" Sirena asked.

"Take that pretentious smile off your face. Your plan didn't work out that much."

"Maybe it's because I don't have a pretentious, knowing smile and a plan. Do you probably want someone with a friendly smile?"

"I don't think so. Friendly smiles can be misleading. At least with a knowing smile, you know that you're dealing with pretentiousness." Raven looked up at her. "Besides, you don't have a friendly smile, cuz. You have a mischievous smile. And I don't like it."

Sirena couldn't help it, she laughed, and to her surprise, Raven laughed too. "And what is it you don't like about mischievous smile?" Sirena asked.

Raven shrugged. "When people wear mischievous smiles, they're usually amused by something they're not sharing. Like right now, I feel as though you know something I don't, and I'd like to be in the joke… But as I told you earlier, mirrors never lie to me."

Sirena stopped short, held her head as if it suddenly hurt, her smile quickly disappeared and she had a look as if she may have made a grave mistake.

Usually Lizzie doesn't get nervous when she knocked on the White Queen's office door; however, that's exactly how she felt. "Please do enter with grace and... oh, it's you," she immediately turned cold, "My door suffered greatly after your last visit."

Lizzie bowed her head, "I'm sorry, Ms. Your Majesty the White Queen. I was angry, which is my destiny, but no excuse for losing my manners. Ever since we fled our home, I've been so focused on my sadness, I never considered yours. We have both lost so much, but you have done so with dignity and class. I have much to learn, but I promise you, I can be the Queen of Hearts our Wonderlandians need."

Slowly the White Queen smiled, "Please have a seat, Ms. Hearts."

Lizzie sat in front of her desk, "I haven't felt much like myself. I finally know why. And it is... important."

After Lizzie explained her concern, the White Queen rose from her chair, "That is... important. We should go immediately."

As they entered the headmaster's waiting room, Lizzie felt determined. She knew though he would never take appointments from a student, he would from a teacher. "I wish to speak with Headmaster Grimm," the White Queen politely requested.

The assistant grunted in annoyance, and pressed a button underneath her desk. Lizzie followed the White Queen through the library corridor into his enormous office.

The stern headmaster quickly glanced at Lizzie, "What is Ms. Hearts doing here? I have no time to listen to Riddlish nonsense from Wonderland students. Now, if you please." He dismissively pointed to the door.

"Sir," Lizzie insisted, "With the gate to the rabbit hole sealed, myself and all Wonderlandians are cut off from the unique magic that makes us special. Some might call it madness. We call it wonder. Whatever the name, without it, our destinies are in danger."

That got his attention, "...Continue."

Lizzie took a deep breath, "With no Wonderland, we would disappear once we leave Ever After High. That is unless we link Wonderland to Ever After. I've noticed the wishing well over the rabbit hole overflows into a grove. In this grove, wonderlandiful magic grows wild. We can tend the grove, and create a small piece of Wonderland for our future destinies."

Headmaster Grimm stared in a large, ornate floor mirror, "Very well, Ms. Hearts. For the sake of destiny, I'll allow this Wonderland Grove."

Lizzie felt like her old self. Just because she couldn't go back to Wonderland doesn't mean she can't make Ever After High her new home. After all, the Queen of Hearts is the heart of Wonderland. And home is where the heart is.


	8. Two Birds, One Three

Raven was walking unusually slowly, almost robotically, as if her brain was struggling to tell each foot to take the next step. It was as if she were in a stupor; like someone under hypnosis. She had been called into the Baba Yaga's office that morning. No reason was given, but she knew.

"Um, Madam Yaga is everything…"Raven found several students sitting together, along with the Headmaster. "…Ooookaay?"

Baba Yaga started talking, "Raven, take a seat. As a faculty advisor, it's my job to meet with the... um..."

"Troubled students." said the Headmaster Grimm. As usual, he was dressed in a long tailored wool jacket. A pocket watch hung from his waistcoat.

"What? I'm not troubled!"

"We're here to get you back on the right path... hehe, the wrong path. I'll let your friends explain." Baba Yaga said.

"Raven, I adore you! But, like, the other day you spilled everlasting black ink all over my new uniform." Apple White said.

"That was an accident. I felt really bad and I said I was sorry like a hundred times!"

"You're not supposed to apologize! You're evil!"

"Ugh, but what if I don't want to―"

The Headmaster Grimm held a finger out, "Raven. You're here to listen."

Raven folded her arms angrily over her chest and sited down.

"Briar, would you like to go next?" The Headmaster Grimm said.

"Everyone," Briar stood up. "I set up a bungee jumping platform on the east turret―"

"Briar, hocus focus!" The Headmaster Grimm said. "Ramona…?"

"I think Raven is wicked awesome just the way she is." Ramona turned to Headmaster Grimm. "And you didn't tell me we were here to be hassle her. You said we were gonna have a feast!"

"Yes, I lied." The Headmaster Grimm said. "We haven't heard from Elizabeth Hearts."

Lizzie that was playing with her card deck took out a Queen card from the deck. She sliced the Queen card drawing her head off. "Off with her head!"

Raven never argued with her fists but Lizzie's words packed a powerful punch. Carefully spoken, without drama, Lizzie's words had an air of finality to them and no matter how hard Raven railed against them, nothing would change their mind.

Their voices rose above the sacred silence. A glance, touch, and one small commented, stirring a hurricane of harsh and horsed insults. Their own Pandora boxes opened, sending each word full speed ahead to shatter their souls into a million pieces. Apple's face brightened, just a tone lighter than Raven own crimson. This was no longer "she said." Blood was bound to be spilled, feelings hurt. They were never that strong to being with, and now they'll never be as strong as they once were.

Every word stung only fueling the fire that burned inside of Raven. Every violated phrase was like gasoline to it, her fists began to clench and her jaw rooted. When the final mento had been added to the coke inside of her, she exploded with anger, with no control, objects were levitated and broke. People dropped to the floor as the primeval instinct took over.

"Now that's what we're looking for from an Evil Queen!" said the Headmaster Grimm.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. Stinging her tear stained face. Her eyes filling with tears glistening in the light, bouncing sadness through the atmosphere like an air bubble through water. With her head down and steady steps, she walked through the Headmaster's Office to the double oak door that opened to a descending circular staircase.

"Ooh! Ravenna! We have to talk." Apple's voice floated back as Raven was coming down the last step.

Something gripped her heart. It was as if Apple's voice had suddenly encased the organ and would not let it continue to beat. Raven began to hasten her steps in the direction she looked most certain. Without needing to walk much, she recognized the notes of a piano masterfully touched. As she approached, slowly to avoid the sound of footsteps, she could appreciate the character and vigor of the performance.

He was sitting in front of a large new grand piano, and the white keys were very white, and the black ones were very black. On the stand, there was a huge open score, which was as thick as a phone book. It was filled with musical notes, and the pages were literally too dark. The piano stopped in the middle of a chord.

"Raven?" The professor called her carefully.

His hair was the color of chestnuts with graying streaks, combed into a huge pompadour that had been built up over a wire pouf. He had a square face, with, well-developed forehead, thick eyebrows over bright brown eyes and unexpectedly full lips surrounded by full beard. His jaw was bony and prominent, and when he spoke the movements had a slight tendency towards the left side of his mouth.

He dressed in a black jumpsuit with yellow leather shoulders. On both sides of the lapels, a rat shape done in gold nails. Smaller sized, silver music notes appeared on the backside of the arms and along the legs. There was also a yellow and bigger flute on the backside of the suit. On his feet he wore soft leather boots, laced up to mid-calf.

Raven took off her suit she wore that morning, hanging it up. Of all she missed, it was him, the grand piano his father had given her for his birthday, the most beloved object. It was a beautiful black-and-white piano, placed under the amber sun ray and green that came through the stained-glass windows. His cover always stood open, showing the inside with its shiny strings.

"Still annoyed with the events of Professor Badwolf's thronework?" The Professor said with his voice reverberating like an opera singer's among the rock walls.

"How do you know, sir?"

He lowered both hands to the ground and various white mice started running nervously around him. He reached in and took one of the small rodents in his right hand. "They told me everything… In fact, they only tell me what they think I need to know." He said with his English accent. "Would you like to take Muse-ic classes?" he suggested.

Professor Pied Piper had the double reputation, "a bit of a diva" with a "set of pipes", demanding respect from those around him but at the same time turning his back on etiquette, convention, and rules. He isolated himself inside the catacombs of Ever After High, where he had all he needed: a small amphitheater of his own with a pipe organ where he could practice his passion, music.

And Raven said, "Yeah! That would be great. But, I don't see how we can convince the Headmaster Grimm that—"

"I know. You win the Next Top Villain and prove yourself to him. Prove that you'll be the next Evil Queen."

"I... Well... I do not know if that's what I want."

"When I was your age, I often felt afraid and confused too. I didn't feel comfortable doing the things that I should do, and sometimes everyone else seemed to understand thins that baffled me. Sometimes I dreaded going to school and sometimes I felt confused and hurt because my friends didn't include me in their plans and activities. I looked into my tale, and found the friends I needed." He got up from the table, searched the shelves along the wall, and came back with a scattering of scores. "If you want an advice, do everything that makes you happy, if you're not feeling well, change, it's normal, it's all just a matter of time, you've been contemplating with it, just have patience."

Raven nodded and a smile spread slowly over her face. She was ecstatic, but she was not in the clouds or anything. She followed Mousetro, Professor Piper's pet mouse, out of the catacombs. But, the problem remained her. She still needs a terribly rotten and nasty plan of her own.

It was getting late. More stars appeared in the sky. A group of cleaning elves ran back toward the forest, leaving trails of blue and green glitter in their wake. Most of the students had headed indoors because it was time to get to bed. A good night's sleep was important for a queen, so Raven walked to the edge of the garden and was about to step onto the damp grass when she heard familiar voices. Mr. Badwolf and Headmaster Grimm had stopped for a hushed conversation.

Raven closed her eyes and willed the transformation. Fortunately, the turning of arm into wings and mouth into beak was a painless process. Even the bone replacement didn't hurt. Another fortunate fact was that she didn't need to worry about her clothes. They magically disappeared and reappeared on her body when she turned herself into a human.

Transformation complete, she glide into the tall reeds, then cocked her head, listening.

"I'm getting mirror calls from parents day and night," the headmaster said. "This Ravenna nonsense has caused quite a stir. We're supposed to be teaching traditions here, not rebellion."

"We do our best," Mr. Badwolf said with a cough.

Raven straightened her neck so she could see over the tops of the reeds. The Headmaster Grimm wrung his hands in a worried way. "The Charmings are threatening to send their children elsewhere if we don't get his situation under control. So is the Mermaid family. If we lose important royal families and their funding, we might have to close the school." His baritone voice was tight and higher than normal. "Educating the next Evil Queen is one of our most important duties."

"I'm afraid Ravenna Queen shows little interest," Mr. Badwolf said.

"Then we just begin to train someone to replace her... just in case. We need to be prepared." Headmaster Grimm stroked his gray mustache. "Do any of the students in your General Villainy class show promise?"

Mr. Badwolf growled. "Unfortunately, they're the most pathetic group I've ever taught. There's evil in their blood, no doubt that, but they're diluted it with good intentions and… _generosity_." He coughed, as if the word had choked him. "We have Sirena; she seems the perfect candidate for the title." He growled again. "Talking about titles, Ms. Swan kept asking to be transferred. Why did you insist that she take the class?"

Raven nearly croaked, she was so hexcited by this question. As she held perfectly still, Headmaster Grimm looked around. Then he cleared his throat and said, "This is highly classified information, Mr. Badwolf. But I believe, as do others, that Duchess Swan has a black swan side that might make her the perfect candidate for Evil Queen status."

"Black swan side?" Mr. Badwolf asked.

"Yes." Headmaster Grimm turned toward the pond and pointed to the swans that were swimming near the fountain. "The trumpeter is beautiful to behold, graceful and elegant, just like Ms. Swan. But if you disturb a trumpeter, trespass through its territory, or threaten its nest, it will hiss like a cobra and attack with the viciousness of a wolf. That is the black swan side."

"And Duchess?"

"She has the instinct within her to do whatever it takes to protect her territory, and, in this case, her territory is her perfect grades. She will not allow herself to fail your challenge, Mr. Badwolf. She will do whatever it takes to succeed, even if than means becoming a villain."

"Ah, I see," Mr. Badwolf said. "But what about her destiny? The swan princess is not a villain. By putting her in my class, are you not going against tradition? Are you not, in a small way, doing exactly what you don't what the students to do, choosing a new destiny?"

Headmaster Grimm snorted. "We are not rebels if that what you're getting at, Mr. Badwolf. We are the upholders of tradition! Our stories depend upon an Evil Queen. And if Ravenna will not step into her mother's shoes, then someone else must. We cannot let those shoes go empty."

"Interesting."

"But… if she Sirena passes General Villainy, then she'll move on to Advanced Villainy and begin to learn the dark spells. It wouldn't take her long to realize that by controlling dark magic, she could change the doom. And once she has mastered dark magic, she may show the potential to be the next Evil Queen, saving all of us from the end of Ever After as we know it." The headmaster's voice faded as he and Mr. Badwolf walked away.

Raven was confused now, her body wanting to run, her brain wanting to shut down altogether, her stomach wanting to hurl its contents. She felt lost and confused, but happy and certain. She was like a ball of tangled yarn. The parts that were untangled were available, usable; the rest was a mess, useless until it was untied. It was stupid that she was feeling conflicted and she wished now that she hadn't found out about it.

It was a terribly long night. Raven's thoughts became her tormentors, a torture only escapable by sleep… which had became fleeting. Waking up can be really harsh, especially if your dreams are better than reality. The saddest part of it is, though, that eventually even the memory of your dream will fade, if you are even lucky enough to remember it that is.

Slowly and reluctantly, Raven uncovered her face. She blinked, closes her eyes, and blinked again. Streaks of sunlight penetrated the window and blinded her. She sat up, dragged her feet off the bed, and rubbed her knuckles onto her eyes. She stretched her arms above her head and yawn. She watched her legs dangling above the purple carpet.

It was Friday morning. Mr. Badwolf's announcement would be made at the end of the day. The other princesses refused to walk with her to their Princessology class, except Crystal. Whispers filled the hall. Students were looking her differently. Was it respected for her accomplishments, or was it judgment? What did she care? Maybe Headmaster Grimm was right. Someone should take her place.

After grabbing a quick bite at the Castleteria, she looked around for Sirena but didn't find her. Duchess' picture had a big gold X over it, but there was no title beneath Raven's picture.

By the time she reached the stable, the other princesses were mounted and ready. Each had color-coordinated their attire to match their saddles and bridles. Manes had been braided, curled, and beaded. Hooves had been polished and painted. Lizzie had stenciled red hears over her horse. Raven settled onto the saddle.

Blondie rode up to her. "Do you want to say anything to the viewers?"

"No."

"What about to Lizzie? Do you want to publicly apologize?"

Pretending no to hear the question, Raven grabbed the reins and nudged her horse out of the stable.

The grandstand was full. Usually, no one would care about a Princessology thronework assignment. But thanks to Blondie Locks and her _Just Right_ MirrorCast, the drama, between Wonderlandians and Raven was all anyone was talking about. Even the teachers were in attendance, including Mr. Badwolf. As Raven rode past, she caught bits of students' conversations. "I hope Ravenna fairy-fails. She deserves it for what she did to Lizzie." There were some _boos_ directed at her and lots of glaring.

 _If you want approval, then don't be a rebel._

When Lizzie rode past the grandstand, Daring stood and cheered. The other princesses rode in a protective clump around her. "If Ravenna fails, it will be sweet revenge for Lizzie," someone said.

Ravenna knew she wouldn't fail. She was the best rider among them. She could ride with her eyes closed.

She was the first to take the course. The happy villagers, the angry villagers, the troll bridge, the dragon poop, the rainstorm, windstorm and fairy-hail, nothing forced her horse from the golden path. Raven finished in record time. Mrs. Her Majesty greeted her at the end of the course and congratulated her with a perfect score.

Ashlynn, Briar, Crystal, and the others took their turns. Despite a few setbacks, Ashlynn stopped to converse with a chipmunk, Briar fell asleep on the Troll Bridge and Crystal froze all the way, they each made it to the end of the course. Then the princesses dismounted and gathered to watch the final rider. Raven stood off to the side with Crystal.

Apple looked pretty in her gear. She'd tied a bright red sash around her waist. Apple waved at the grandstand and Daring cheered her on. After reaching back and nipping Apple's boot, the equally temperamental horse began to walk down the path.

Blondie sashayed over, her curly locks bouncing even after she'd come to a stop next to Raven. "How does it feel to be a terrible crownmate?" she whispered. "Do you feel bad about what you did?"

"No comment." Raven pushed the MirrorPad away.

Then she turned toward the forest. But wait, what was that?

Sparrow Hood stood at the edge of the field, his green pants and hat bleeding perfectly into the forest backdrop. He set an amp on the ground, then slipped his arrow- shaped guitar strap over his head. What was he doing? Was he going to play his guitar in the middle of Apple's test? Why would he do that? Didn't he remember that muse-ic upset the horses?

Sparrow looked straight at her and smiled. Of curses he remembered.

Raven took a sharp breath. And there it was a terribly rotten and nasty plan.

The first chord shot out of the amp like icicle to the brain. The second chord made her bones vibrate. But there was no third. Raven was in the tree, next to Sparrow, she had casted a paralyzed spell over him. Her eyes cut to him. Looked inside him, saw too much.

Sparrow's appearance alone was seductive and his rugged features were alluring. He had a medium, slightly muscular frame and a fair, highly-colored complexion, with a straight nose and a well-formed mouth with a sarcastic, troublemaker smile. His beard was strategically shaved into a smart goatee and soul patch and his eyes were olive with light sparkles in them. They were green pools of mystery. His hair glowed like dark honey. It ran down in rivers of reds and browns as each rivulet shone deeply. The hair was radiant with passion trying to bring eyes to look at the depths of the auburn like hair reminding all those of autumn and better times.

But today she was not there to give the people any idea of who she was. If he were stupid enough to do it, Raven would give them the show their wanted. They wanted to see her act like an Evil Queen? She'd show them an Evil Queen.

Above the sparrow, dark storm clouds began to gather. They were large and ominous filled to overflowing with water and energy. The arcing of lightning lit the sky, followed quickly by the rumble of thunder, as if heralding the opening to the great battle.

"Now, it's _my_ turn." Raven released purple flames and raised a platform above him, with big loudspeakers appeared in the background "I told the headmaster that I didn't want to do anything evil, but sometimes, you gotta let your bad side out!" As she launched into a frenzied string of chords, screaming arose the grandstand.

Apple's horse had gone into a wild rampage, its nostrils flared, its eyes wild. It charge right through a pile of dragon poop and headed for the troll bridge and the deep ravine.

"Help!" Apple cried. Her riding crop fell from her hand as she leaned forward to grip the horse's mane.

Daring Charming leaped from the grandstand. "I'll save you!" he called as he ran onto the obstacle course. But even though his legs were long and he was the best damsel-rescuer in the school, he would never be able to catch up to the horse, which was nearing the troll bridge at a full gallop. Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen shouted for help into the receiver of an Emergency Prince Patrol phone. Blondie held her MirrorPad aloft, the record light glowing red. The other princesses watched with expressions of horror. Blondie's face had gone paler than usual and she stared helplessly at the unfolding chaos. Mr. Badwolf stood on one of the grandstand branches, straining to get a better view. Raven stopped playing. Tragedy was about to strike, and no one could get to Apple in time to stop it.

And then, just before the horse reached the bridge, the troll jumped out and blocked its path. With a terrified whinny, the horse skidded to a stop. Apple lost her grip and was thrown into the air. She shrieked, her hands flailing as she reached out for something, for anything that would stop her fall.

But fortunately, he caught Apple in his arms, her breasts squashed against his chest. Apple clung to his arms, looking up at him in surprise with pink-tingled cheeks. Her ted, lush mouth rounded out in a perfect _o_ , and she looked up at him with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. When their eyes met, they both froze, their breath held. Hunter was even more stunning up close and personal.

He was big-muscled like a serious weight lifter and was overall very handsome in a rugged, but not in that over worn way, the way that tells of a life too hard. His skin wasn't olive like so many huntsmen, was deeply golden, the color of apple cider in the sun with a fashionably scruffy beard, like he had not shaved in two days. Hunter's eyes were the color of milk chocolate edged with a deep forest-green. Sometimes the two colors seemed to swirl together like moss creeping over rich soil. And when he smiled both colors ignited with a glow dazzling him with the warmth of the deep brown and the seductive green dancing around its edge. His long hair was rich like mahogany, tied in a bun on the back of his head, but there was nothing feminine about it, as such his hair made him manlier, more intense.

Hunter was wearing a dark brown leather vest with a hoodie on it, with two strings were attached to each hole on each side of his hooded, under that, he had a florescent darker green social shirt. He had a pair of dangling, silver axes earrings, a brown cuff bracelet and a silver pendant of feathers and leaves hanging from his belt loop. His khaki pants were dirty cream in color and his shoes were big leather hiking boots with thick straps.

Apple wriggled in Hunter's arms, her cheeks turning even redder, and her MirrorPhone crashed to the ground. The crack of plastic hitting ground broke the spell that seemed to have them both immobilized. Hunter let go of her, and she cursed under her breath.

A bell sounded in the distance, marking the end of the school day. Everyone turned to face the grandstand, where Mr. Badwolf stood, holding a megaphone. "It is time to announce the official grades for the General Villainy thronework," his voice boomed.

"And the winner of the Next Top Villain," Blondie hollered.

Mr. Badwolf wiped spit from the corners of his mouth. "After reviewing the disappointing thronework from each of my students, I had decided that Ms. Black's acts of sabotage and double-crossing were worthy of an A grade."

Sirena smiled.

"But that has all changed." He snarled, revealing his canines.

Sirena's mouth fell open. Then person walking across the grandstand, toward Mr. Badwolf, was Ravenna Queen.

"So that means the A will be awarded to someone else. For disrupting the Princessology equestrian examination, and for forming an alliance with Ms. Black and then double-crossing her, I hereby award Ms. Queen an A in General Villainy."

There were a few random claps, but no wild applause.

Apple stared in shock as the grandstand's mega-mirror lit up, and Raven's face filled the screen. A streaming headline read:

 **THIS JUST IN: RAVENNA QUEEN WINS NEXT TOP VILLAIN**

Blondie almost tripped on her own feet as she scrambled over the benches to get an interview. The obstacle course began to clear of people. The adoring and the angry villagers left, along with the troll. Students started heading back into the school or down the lane toward Book End. Life returned to its normal fairytale place.

Raven's heart was beating quickly, like a bird's.

"Did you get what you wanted?" It was the first of a series of questions made by Blondie Locks.

No, she hadn't… yet. She'd wanted to succeed so she could eventually change her destiny. But she hadn't changed anything… or had she?


	9. Enter the Dragon

"No magic, no magic."

Raven reminded herself over and over as she rushed from her dorm room out of the castle. After winning last night Mr. Badwolf's thronework, she'd skipped breakfast in order to lie low. But there would be no skipping the Legacy Day practice. And there was no way to be inconspicuous in a high collared black shirt and layered skirt. Curses, but why didn't I own any plain, boring clothes?

As the troop of students neared the forest, the blue-green smudge came into sharper focus as deep and colorful woods. Professor Poppa Bear, the Beast Training and Care teacher, led the way, with Headmaster Grimm beside him. They followed them down the steep back steps of Ever After High, across the Saucy Stream on a wobbly footbridge, and into the clover meadow on the other side. Up ahead, the trees of the Enchanted Forest waited, all green and blue and golden. Bright spots of fairy light zigged and zagged thought the trees, making the trails of fairies like burning sparkles on a Blue Moon's Festival.

Headmaster Grimm spoke as they walked through the meadow. "Playing your part in your story is so vital that all of nature will rise up to help you. Today an animal will be drawn to you, a companion of the woodlands, something that will aid in your quest to fulfill your destiny."

"All of us get pets today," Ashlynn Ella asked.

"Well…" Professor Poppa Bear arranged his spectacles on his furry snout and looked at his paws. He was extremely shy when addressing any girl.

Professor Poppa Bear was the tallest teacher they had ever seen and was strongly built and burly, like someone made for physical labor. His skin complexion was smooth and dark like chocolate bar. Round, black rimmed glasses framing his face, which was round and plump with high cheekbones, bushy eyebrows, a full beard and a thick moustache. His eyes were reddish brown like hazelnuts.

He wore a long army brown leather parka lined with creamy faux fur, white social white, leather trousers, and over his shoulders were a pair of black braces, clipped to the tops of his pants. Also a pair of scuffed-up black hiking boots, which was laced up the back from ankle to upper thigh.

"Almost all, the wonderlandians already had their pet companions when they comes thought-the-looking-glass to Ever After."

"So, what happens?" Cedar Wood asked, still lingering back by footbridge. "We… we walk into that forest and some creature comes out and grab us?"

"No, silly, you do the Animal Call, of course!" said Lizzie. "In Wonderland, all the children know the Animal Call. I'll–"

"There's no need, Elizabeth," said Headmaster Grimm.

Professor Poppa Bear rubbed his snout and looked away. "For non-Wonderlandians, the animal call is quite simple. First you declare your name. Then you pull spell poppers I have prepared for you."

He gave a bag to Hunter Huntsman, who handed out the poppers inside. They looked like paper-wrapped candy in colorful foil, with ribbons on each end.

"I'm ready," Apple said, steeping quickly to the center of the meadow.

"I am ready as well," said Daring Charming moving himself just one step ahead.

Apple smiled at him. She was pleased with mature they handled their relationship. Yes, one day Daring would kiss her right out of Raven's poisoned-apple death sleep and they would marry and have a beautiful baby girl, possibly blond, and that would be just fine.

"I am Apple White!" she said, pulling on the ends of her popper. Whit a _snap_ , the foil ripped and a tiny ball of light shot up from the popper, rocketing high above the canopy of trees and then exploding into a white star. Daring declared his name and pulled his popper at the same time and then exploding into a green star.

At once, a white shape and a green shape came rushing out the forest shadows. The white shape leaped onto Apple's shoulder and twined around her neck. Ridiculously white fur tickled her cheeks, and she laughed.

"A white deer for Apple White," said Professor Poppa Bear. These young deer were beautiful, beautiful! Beautiful, strong and powerful, the vision makes a statement. To look into his eyes you would think the deer holds spiritual powers. The entire body of the deer was a regular white fur with that back of the head, throat and body were light grayish amber in the head and body. His chartreuse green eyes were like round jewels, his horns were yellow as gold, his mouth was red like a flower, and his hoofs were bright and hard. "And a peacock for Prince Daring." The peacock's feathers were brilliant shades of bronze, blue, green, and gold. It even had a little crown of feathers, called a "crest," on the top of its head. The center of attraction, though, was the peacock's long tail. At the rip of each tail feather was a big shiny spot ringed with blue and bronze that looked like an eye.

"By the book, what a handsome creature," Daring exclaimed as the peacock, tail fanned out, strutted around him.

Encouraged, other students began to shout their names, poppers snapping all over the meadow.

"It's all right?" Ramona asked in Raven's ear.

"Yeah, it's all fine." Raven turned and smiled to him.

When Raven turned her attention to the front Faybelle and Crystal must have squeezed the popper in their hands because different shades of blue firework erupted above their heads.

"Quick, declare your names!" shouted Professor Poppa Bear.

"Crystal Snow," A white fluffball bounded out the shadows and began to rub its head against her ankle. He was completely white except for his dark eyes and nose.

"Ah, a polar bear cub," said Professor Poppa Bear.

"Faybelle Thorn," He said. " _Yes!_ " He shouted as a unicorn came bounding toward him. "I just knew I'd attract something darkest!"

His unicorn was quite different than the others. Looked like a full-grown black unicorn with a twisted and bluish dark horn, dark blue eyes with elongated oval pupils. Its mane stayed in a bluish shade and from the junction of the shoulders were immense tattered insectoid wings. It also had a small, black crown tipped with blue flowers-like orbs.

The unicorn named Spindle, lowered its head and let Faybelle pet its mane.

Farrah Godmother was flapping her wings and doing happy spins in the air as a young owl came flying toward her.

Hopper Croakington was staring at his pet, a luminescent dragonfly perched on his finger. I worried Hopper might accidentally eat it when in frog form until I saw the dragonfly breath out a spurt of fire. It appeared the little guy could take care of himself.

"A fox cub!" said Russell Ridinghood, rolling around in the grass, tickling his new pet. "I'm going to call her Carmine!"

Russell admired her exquisite red coloring, her beautiful clear eyes, so full of life, her cute black whiskers and the two sooty stripes either side of his face with long pointed ears. She was so perfect and so vulnerable, just a little baby.

Ramona was sitting cross-legged in the clover, petting the baby direwolf on her lap. He sniffed her nose, and Ramona smiled from ear to ear.

"I'm calling him Crescent," said Ramona. The direwolf pup had black fur standing fuzzily askew, two large, red crimson eyes and a gold crescent moon on his forehead. "Isn't he perfect?"

"Uh-huh."

Several more students still hadn't pulled their spell poppers. "All right, all students who haven't received their pets yet, follow me," said Headmaster Grimm. "No more delaying. Step into the forest and conduct the animal call."

"I had a pet once. A puppy, that my mother turned it into a bone rat."

"What?" said Ramona horrified.

Raven shrugged. "She thought it was for the best, I guess, since I was supposed to be evil and all. But I've been a little shy of getting another pet ever since."

"Well, I'm sure this pet will be different. And even if it's a… bone rat," Ramona shuddered "we all get the best for our story. Aren't you curious?"

Raven looked at Crescent and sighed. "Okay." Raven pulled the popper. The firework burst purple above her head. "I'm Ravenna Que–"

Thunderous footsteps, crashing tress, a beast emerged through the brush. It lifted scaly head and puffed smoke thought its nostrils. It was at that moment Raven saw the most beautiful creature she had ever witnessed. A small dragon, no larger than a small cat, fluttered effortlessly through the air.

"Dragon!" The scream came from a dozen mouths as the sound of fleeing teenagers filled the forest.

"Daring!" Apple yelled to the prince. "A dragon! And Raven–"

He charged into the forest.

"Daring, stop!" Raven shouted.

But Daring didn't stop. He was running straight at the dragon, which didn't breathe fire. Or roar. Or swipe a clawed hand. It just sat there, staring at Raven, its dinner plate-sized eyes widening to platter-sized.

"Daring, I'm ordering, stop!"

"It's a dragon, I'm a prince. Slaying dragons is what I do."

He sped up, raising his swords.

"Raven, don't–"

"No!" She raised her hand and then, two green-glowing vines grow out of the ground near the Daring's feet and tie themselves into a knot, causing him to trip.

Sure enough, Hunter ripped off his shirt and posed. He lifted his axes and threw them in dragon's direction. POOF! Raven was in front of the dragon, protecting it. She raised both her hands toward the axes, creating black mirrors outlined in white in front, and the axes enter inside the mirrors, a turned her hands fired them at Hunter. But he dodged them with quick stunts. Hunter's eyes blinking in a purple glow and he took a few steps back, disoriented by his sense of balance, he fell back, and he was in a state of heavy vertigo.

Then Raven heard the sound of something slicing through the air, was an arrow. She picked up in the middle of its flight. "So now you want to be a hero? Not today, Hood." She set fire to the arrow. Purple fire left her hand and stood in front of her, divided into a ring of six fireballs firing it at him. As it flies through the air, the fireball becomes surrounded in black fire.

When she turned, Daring was already with his sword almost on top of the dragon's head.

"No!" She shouted and a telekinetic wave caused him to be thrown aside.

"Your poor Prince Charming," Raven raised her hands and then giant light brown roots shoot out of the ground, wrap up Daring, again, and lift him into the air. "No one will kill _my_ dragon."

Raven putted her hands together so that the tips of her fingers and thumbs were touching each other and a bright light purple light forms in between them. A purple powder sparkles and was released to Daring, surrounded him. He breathed powder, falling asleep.

Apple ran into her boyfriend's sleeping body. "What have you done?"

"He's just sleeping, in an hour he'll wake up."

Ravens turned and sit on the ground facing the dragon. The dragon lowered its head to her level, gazing right into Raven's eyes. It snuffled, smelling her, her hair rising up on the gust of its breath.

"Not in the mood to spit fire?"

The dragon shrugged.

"Yeah, me neither."

The dragon was no bigger than Raven's arm, but she had a dignified and noble posture. Her scales were bright purple, not slimy but smooth and cool like glass. The dragon flapped her wings again. They were the ones that made it seem so contorted. The wings were much larger than her body and were articulated with fine bones extending from the front end, forming a structure of well-spaced spikes. Two tiny white fangs protruded from its upper jaw. They looked very sharp. Its claws were also white, like polished ivory, and slightly serrated on the inner curve. A line of small spikes descended down the spine of the creature, from the base of its head to the tip of its tail. The cavity where the neck and shoulders joined together created a huge gap between the spikes and it had a feathery-looking long tail.

"Have you named her?" Ramona asked.

"Nevermore, isn't she a beauty? And a young thing, too, aren't you, girl? Only as big as ten horses, yes you're."

Nevermore scrunched Raven's face as if concentrating and with a _poof!_ she shrank to the size of a large dog. Now she could curl up in Raven's lap. Raven rubbed the dragon's belly, and Nevermore closed her eyes and hummed.

"Raven–" Ramona started.

"I keep thinking, well, I just won't be mean," She said, as if they were in the middle of this conversation. "I may have to sign the Storybook of Legends and promise to be the Evil Queen, but I won't use magic or try to hurt or kill anyone and no one can make me, can they? But you saw what I did to them, and I haven't even signed yet. If I'm in the story, will I be able to help myself? I don't have a choice about who I'll become. Maybe I won't have a choice about turning evil, either, really evil. Want Apple dead in a coffin, turn puppies into bone rats, poison Wonderland and take over everything evil."

Ramona sat beside her. Her direwolf pup sniffed it nose on Raven's hand and didn't run away. Raven pet it head.

"I have to find some way of not signing that book," Raven whispered. "Before I sign, I just have to make sure there's no other option for me."

"You can count on me, you know, right?" Ramona said hugging her tightly and kissing her forehead. She lay flat on top of Ramona, relaxed, Raven felt warm, secure and happy.

On the same day, the Enchanted Garden had become the most popular hangout at Ever After High. All the students wanted to spend their free hours leaning back against the trees and playing with their new pets. Whenever Raven tried to sneak over the openmouthed tree, Nevermore came running for her, snuffling. But she just couldn't get mad, 'cause Nevermore was such a cutie-sweetie dragon with those big eyes and adorable spiky tail, aah...

"So, is this the dragon that everyone was talking about?" He spoke with a gasping breath, as if he had run a marathon.

Raven lifted her head abruptly to see who would be the owner of that familiar voice. He wasn't handsome, but he was charming with a rather grave tone that gave a certain enchantment to his voice. He was stocky, a slab of muscle, with not an ounce of fat on him, and he had perfect creamy skin, like caramel, and just as smooth, with golden reptilian scales, all throughout his body most prominent in his lower forehead between his eyes. His longer face had noticeably fangs sprouting from his upper jaw and the eyes were deep green like slices of jade stone with vertical pupils like snakes. They were shaped as those eyes of people in the eastern continent that appear sort of "pulled-back" in appearance. His short green hair had black highlights at the tips. It literally resembles a fire flame, all pointed up with no sense of essence of bangs or fringe. He had some spikes in the back of his hair and also pointy ears and a long golden dragon tail with green tuft.

He was wearing a white social shirt with high collar and scale green jacket with large flared end. He had a pair of red knots, with a tassel earrings and a golden belt with an amulet pendulum hanging from it. His pants were red metallic with a long gold and black metallic scale hem and his metallic green sneakers were modeled after dragon tails and from the back to the nose the shoes resembled a dragon head, eyes, teeth, and nose.

Raven answered, "I don't know if it is or not. Who are you?"

He took a deep breath, held out his hand and said, "I'm Jinfire Long, but please, call me Drake. We studied in General Villainy class together."

Raven squeezed it, narrowing her eyes, suspicious. "I knew you were familiar. What you want?"

"I came to see your dragon. Did you know that it is one of the rarest dragons… if not most rare dragon?"

She seemed surprised by his reaction. "No."

He tried to hide his enthusiasm and walked as casually as possible, and sat down beside her. Nevermore quietly and quickly passed to his lap, lying absolutely still asleep suddenly she seemed unconscious. "There was once a dragon, long ago, whose raw power was far greater than anyone had ever seen or... could imagine. At first, he mastered fire... which was odd because he was not a fire dragon. Then came ice and wind... and other abilities none thought possible."

"And what was his name?" She asked really interested and wanting to know more about it.

"Malefor, but the elders preferred to call his kind of purple dragon, because the colour is associated with royalty, reinforcing the idea that purple dragons have a higher potential for magic and other things that I'm not remembering well because my Waigong told me this a long time ago."

Raven was surprised at his words and stared at him for a moment, realizing there was still so much she didn't know about the magical world.

"What kind of dragon are you?"

"I'm a fire dragon!" And then his hair began to catch fire. "Isn't ever after awesome?"

Pointing to the fire, a sparkling blue snow escaped immediately and blotted out the flames with surprising speed. A few seconds later, the fire had been completely erased.

"Calm down, freeze your brain," Crystal said imperiously, pointing her hand to the fire on his hand, a sparkling blue snow escaped immediately and blotted out the flames with surprising speed. A few seconds later, the fire had been completely erased.

His head was low and buried in snow. He turned abruptly his head at the sound of the Crystal's voice, when he met her gaze, he felt drawn into her eyes. The icy blueness generated a feeling like he was being pulled into a lake of frozen emotions. It was like all the myriad shades of blue swirled together to form a whirlpool of apprehension. He could tell by her body language that she didn't like him, and those flickering azure orbs confirmed his thoughts.

He pushed his wet hair back. "What is wrong with you?" he screamed, asking between heavy breaths. "I can't believe I thought you were hot."

Crystal's face turned red. "Hot? You dare insult me? I am cold, Jinfire Long. Very, very cold." She shot a blast of wintry sleet at him, but he held up his hand. A wall of fire roared to life in front of them, and the snow dissolved in a steamy cloud.

He grinned. "See, princess, that's what happens to snow when it meets a fire dragon. It freaking melts." Furious, he spread his great bat-like wings, one of the largest and most magnificent set they had seen, and flew quickly with his fist closed toward the sun.

"Why did you fight him?" Raven asked, a small frown marrying her forehead.

The voices were getting too distant, as if the princesses were in a boat hurrying into the sea and the waves had swallowed their voices. The healer took his head out of the water suddenly, as if remembering that he could breathe at that moment.

"What did you see?" asked the Fairy Queen impatiently.

The Fairy Queen had a pair of butterfly like wings on her back, crystalline and iridescent, practically glowing and the most intense light brown eyes that sparkle with intelligence and enthusiasm. Her creamy brown skin was flawless and her deep golden brown hair has a few braids along the side of her head with beads threaded on them. She wore a gold tiara of intricate leaf and filigree set with colored stones and rhinestones, and a sparkling long green dress, with gold facing and opens at the back right down to her arse.

"She has a dragon as pet." the Healer said.

The man was tallish slender with a brown skin and bright white teeth. He was elderly and smiled slightly with large, almond-shaped black eyes with a melancholy expression, long slender and skinny arms and legs. Fu Manchu mustache with a long soul patch that was braided and hung off his chin like a thin rope completed the look. He wore a Chinese-style robe in red silk with long flowing sleeves and wide skirt, decorated with golden dragon-patterned.

They were surprised by what they heard, "A dragon... how... how can she get a dragon?" The Dwarf King asked himself.

He had a beefy build with rough and hard hands. His face was rounded with widow's peaks in his jet-black hair, which was turning gray and had a long red beard that was plaited into a single braid, and a very long red moustache, also braided. His eyes were bright blue, like shiny glass. The King wore a bright red armor with the White's crest emblazoned across the chest in gold. He wore a white silk scarf around his helmet where his forehead should be.

"What kind of dragon was it?" the Fairy Queen asked.

"The valuable kind of dragon, the kind of dragon that people have killed for in the past," the old man answered. "If the legend turns out to be true, is the lord of all dragonkind."

"The purple one," the Fairy Queen said. "This baby dragon can only be Malefor's child. But how could the Evil Queen have let that dragon live all this time? After all..." Her gaze was lost in the distance, as if searching for something on the horizon that was lost.

"The destiny of the Purple Dragon is to direct the fate of an era–"

"Malefor believed that their destiny was to destroy the world." The King replied.

"He abandoned his true calling and embraced the darkness. The Evil Queen twisted his views of the Purple Dragon's destiny and we cannot stop that from happening." The old man yelled back. "There is one more thing you need to know." They looked at him. "Apple, Snow White's daughter, has a white deer."

"It means that the deer could heal all the illnesses and impurities of the corruption touch of the darkness." The Fairy Queen said looking at the King of Dwarves with smiling eyes and he smiled back, and as he looked at her, their heart suddenly filled with hope.

"It's funny. The magical council likes to think that they don't have any enemies. But, why we're having this conversation without their presence? "

"She stands our queen and because it is a duty of subjects to love, honor and praise their Queen." said the Fairy Queen.

"Our function, our duty is to shield her against all enemies." said the Dwarf King.

"The one know as Snow White is not the same person who holds the title of Queen of the Enchanted Forest. She really has changed… for the worse. I'm afraid I'm not in the business of helping hearts filled with such darkness," the Dragon told them. The dragon placed a water lily in a bowl and focused his magic on it. Within the water's reflection, the group was able to see Raven and her friends in the other realm. "But she, she I will help. I see a noble battle deep inside her soul. And with that, I will do my best to aid her. It is imperative she win… for all of us."


	10. Piping Hot Beats

They kept arguing for a few more minutes as children while they walked along the tree-lined path. They passed the stables to leave their respective pets and so they continued toward the great castle. Raven glanced at her watch on the way and ran down the hall toward the Muse-ic Class.

She decided the back corner of the classroom would be a good place. There she could see and listen to everything that was going on. Slowly the room was filled with students, most of them annoyingly noisy, until the Professor Piper arrived and everyone sat in their seats.

"Good morning, characters. As most of you know, my name is Professor Piper. This is the Muse-ic Class; you may feel bored a few times, and I can promise you that you'll learn a heap of facts that you'll never actually use in the real world – but hey, what is high school for?" He smiled, and everyone laughed.

 _Well, there's a different class_. Raven thought and continued laughing for a long time, only stopped laughing when someone knocked on the door. The door opened slowly, and everyone looked there.

The character was of average height, with a slim, not especially muscular in build and white skin but was more like someone a little bit tanned or someone with a slight shade on his skin. He was wearing a white social shirt and navy blue vest with pocket-watches and patterns on it such as clocks, Queen of Hearts cards designs, teapots and many other patterns and designs. His khaki brown pants were tucked into knee high leather explorer's boots.

Then as he turned to look Raven's way she found herself surprised all over again. His dark blond hair was always ruggedly, yet stylishly, mussed like he didn't bother to brush it this morning or like he hopped out of bed and came straight here. The shadow on his slightly square jaw coupled with his dark eyebrows gave his face an expressive quality. His eyes were almost translucent, glossy, like the palest blue glass, too soft to be turquoise, too bright to be baby blue. They were so mesmerizing that it was as if they looked deep into Raven's soul. But she should have recognized his face, though his features, too, had matured to a delicate beauty quite different from the time she had seen him last.

When Raven smiled at him, it was all too familiar for him. The last time he saw that smile was when Bunny and he ran to Card Castle to tell the Queen of Hearts about the snow and the apple. Instead of the royal guards greeting them at the gates, it was a lone hooded figure. All he could see was her smile from within the shadow of the cloak. "The Queen's unavailable. What do you want?"

Suspicious, he showed her the apple. She stopped smiling and slammed the gate shut.

He pondered the apple. "That was the Evil Queen."

"Um, Alistair? Hello?" Professor Piper tapped him on the shoulder.

 _What was going on? I wasn't in Wonderland, but the memories were so thick._

"Sorry I'm late Professor Piper. I just didn't know which room to go to."

"You didn't tell me anything new. You already repeated this speech on the first day of class," said the Professor Piper harshly.

"For you to see how sincere I am," the soft voice joked.

"Enough. Mr. Wonderland, could you sit in that place?" asked the professor still stunned, indicating specifically a place right next to Raven.

Obviously, Alistair thought it strange that the professor had suggested that he go right there. There were a lot of unoccupied places near Raven. But even before he opened his mouth to argue, a character protested, "Excuse me, Professor Piper, but this seat is not free, it's busy."

The character was Bianca Coelho, also known as Bunny, the White Rabbit's daughter. She was very slender with long, muscular legs that were ideal for running. Her straight hair was so pale and colorless that wasn't blonde like real blondes, was white, almost as if she looked like one of those albino rabbits, styled in a shoulder-length fringe bob. She had oval face somewhat broad with the slightly jutting lower jaw, the upper lip was slender, the lower lip advancing, twice as strong and tummy. Her features were small and perfectly related; her nose deliciously interrogative at the tip and her brows and lashes, drawn in a darker hue, gave touches of character and distinction. The ears were long, soft, and floppy and the insides were pink, just like her nose. But what really made Bunny attractive were the eyes, a dreamy swath of crimson hues, shining like rubies against the most perfect pinkish white skin.

She had a black headband with a small top hat with a gold clock design. She was dressed in a white waistcoat vest with faux fur collar and black and white diagonal striped social shirt. The neck had a magenta ribbon tied and both her hands had black gloves with white frills. Her skirt was light green with white watches pattern. The whole was finished with a frill in pink and black and white plaid. She wore high white socks with black buttons up the sides. The shoes were black decorated with a white rabbit tail and an hourglass heel.

The Professor Piper looked at the Bunny with scorched eyes of anger and asked her if the person occupying the place was invisible. Then she closed her face and said nothing more. Alistair looked at the professor in utter anger and said, "I'd rather not sit there, Mr. Piper, if you don't mind."

You could hear the entire class gasp in unison.

Shocked, Professor Piper asked, "Why?"

Alistair replied, "I do not want to sit next to her kind!"

Professor Piper was stunned! He said sternly, "Alistair, we do not talk like that in this school, and that kind of behavior is not tolerated in this class!" However, Professor Piper did not ask him to apologize, nor did she force Alistair to sit next to Raven. Instead, he asked, "Who wants to sit in the seat next to Ravenna?"

No one! Only one person raised the hand: me! The professor looked at her in surprise and admiration.

The owner of the hand was the teacher's daughter, Melody Piper. She was a DJ with considerable talent, if the fact that she was Briar Beauty's favorite was anything to go by.

Melody was rather exotic and had an "ethereal" beauty with an air of feminine mystery. She had an olive complexion that shone like burnished gold and bright magenta highlights in the fringe of her thick platinum blonde hair. Taking a closer look, she wasn't naturally blonde because she had a dark shade of brown for the eyebrows and lashes. Her face was rather rounded with a small, round nose, a pair of perfect thin lips framing her small mouth and thick eyebrows arched themselves over her round eyes. They were mingled grey and brown like the muddy water churning beneath the battlements and equally full of turbulence. The pitches mound was pierced with the pupil and the bases and the dirt was scattered around all throughout.

On her head had a set of black headphones and her ear spacers were a neon yellow set of records. She was wearing black leather jacket with a bright silver zipper over a neon yellow social shirt with rat-shaped silver buttons. She had a silver necklace with three music note charms hanging from it and a white bracelet with a keyboard print on her right arm. Melody's skirt was a lavender-colored with darker rates patterns and a criss-cross stitch with purple beads and frilly yellow lining. She also wore gray stockings with grape purple swirls and the shoes were black sneaker-like boots with neon yellow treble clef shaped heels.

Melody got up from her seat and went to sit next to Raven, not without flicking a wink.

"So let's get starred. I have assigned you to perform a melodic manipulation in animals. So… who will be the first?"

"I will." A girl with a golden harp answered. She was the daughter of Jack from the _Jack and the Beanstalk_ , and was also a bold, fearless, and confident girl, which caused her to be greatly admired around school.

Jackalyn Bean was an attractive girl of average height with a slender, but athletic, toned body. Her skin was a dark, deep brown like coffee beans and her hair, tied back in a loose braid, was a wild mess of brown curls, dark at the roots, sunbleached at the ends. She had high delicate cheekbones, a small slim nose and full lips above a slender rounded chin completed her face. Her eyes were a complicated light brown color, with flecks of gold and a ring of deep green around the iris.

She was wearing a pink, short sleeved social shirt and a long green leather vest with gold beans pattern. She had three vines resembling hoop earrings on her right ear, and a dangling spiraled earring in her left, a curly vine necklace and golden bracelets. She also wore a leaf pattered golden belt, which goes down to her hips in the sides, and brown pants with pink flowers and green branches. Her shoes were golden sneakers boots laced with bright green laces and in the ankles had pink bean flowers sticking out.

She took her little piggy to the small stage. Its skin colour was a shade of fawn with black spots and a pink shade in the belly. The eyelid, and hoof colors were fuscous brownish and pinkish muzzle.

"I'll play the harp making Truffle fall asleep."

Immediately Jackalyn plucked the strings on the golden harp given by her dad, Jack, and a beautiful melody echoed in the classroom, making it more peaceful than they had ever known it. But Truffle didn't fall asleep; on the contrary, he became more agitated, assaultive, and aggressive.

"A spelltacular first try at melodic manipulation," Professor Piper said, with a hint of sarcasm. "Who's next? How about you, Sparrow?"

"How long have you played guitar?" Melody asked after clearing her throat. Her lips and her tongue piercing combine to make her sound, during specific words, like a broom trying to sweep empty cans from grey pavements.

"Since I was teen," Raven said with a distant look in her eyes. "The guitar has always fascinated me. Most musical instruments do, but the only one I've ever learned to play is the guitar. I've always wanted to play the piano, but my daddy played the piano and seeing one just upsets my mother. What about you, Melody?"

"I can't remember when I didn't play the flute. I guess I started somewhere around the age of three. My father was royally responsible for this. He saw to it that I had a hexcellent teacher and a decent instrument, and he also gave me my enthusiasm for muse-ic. I don't care about fame or spotlight, as long as I can get people to dance like nobody is watching!"

"I love Muse-ic class. The characters think that only the princesses can sing power ballads. Technically I'm a princess." Raven said, feeling stupid at what she just did, which made both of them laugh.

"My biggest ambition is to work with the greatest musicians in the land and become the most inspiring DJ in fairytale history! But my dad doesn't like to remix our fairy tale." Melody said sadly, for that, too, was true.

"I'm not very good at advice, but here's one... stay true to yourself. Make your sound reverberate and do not let anyone else bother you."

"Melody, you're the next." Professor Piper said, looking at them.

"Sure thing, Dad," Melody said getting up from the chair she was. She went up on stage and said, "My song is going to guide little mouse here to the cheese at the end of this maze."

Melody placed the mouse at one end of the maze and some cheese in the other end. She began to play the flute causing the mouse to walk through the maze.

"And now, to mix things up a bit," Melody waved her hands to make her turntables appear and put on her headphones. You'd think the daughter of the Pied Piper would play a pipe, but Melody at home behind the decks.

"Turntables? You won't be able to control it," said the Professor Piper doubtful. "You don't understand the power that you wield."

"Dad! I can do this!" When Melody started playing, the rat started moon walking but ended up slamming into a wall. "Curses! I really thought that would work." Melody said, disappointed that her plan failed but she soon realized that she had made everyone in school dance when Headmaster Grimm who danced his way into Muse-ic class and danced his way out.

"I can't stop daaancin'!" Sparrow Hood said.

"What the hex?" Raven Queen said.

"Melody's magic is making us dance!" Jackalyn Beans said.

"Wh-what's happening?" Alistair Wonderland said.

"I can't stop dancing!" Humphrey Dumpty said.

"Hooow can we stop?" Sparrow Hood said.

"This whole school can't stop dancing and it's all my fault!" Melody Piper said. She had no idea how to reverse what she had done but her father did.

"You have to get everyone dancing in sync!" Professor Piper said.

"Hm... Hey, Raven! I think these beats could use a little pick me up." Melody Piper said.

"Yay!" Raven Queen said making Melody's turntables floating in the air by magic.

"Hex, yeah! Now listen up and let DJ Piper move you. That's it, now follow me. Hang on to those crowns, 'cuz DJ Piper is about to work some magic." Melody Piper said.

With that, she started playing and everyone stopped for a moment and started dancing again but that time, everyone was dancing together. Melody decided to take the party out in the hallways. She was above the steps and everyone in school was dancing together, breaking the curse.

"Melody, you did it! We're in sync. The spell is broken!" Raven said, hugging Melody tightly.

"That was hat-tastic!" Bunny said excitedly, jumping as if she had spring in her shoes.

Professor Piper looked at Melody, observed at the students admired, and said with quiet voice, "Well played, Melody! A-plus!"

Professor Piper gave the students approximately five minutes to wander, and then back to the classroom.

"Hey, Alistair! Can I talk to you for a minute?" Raven asked

"One minute." Alistair said bluntly.

Raven rubbed the back of her head. "Look, I'm glad you're here. I want you to know that, I'm okay with you telling people what my mom really did. People deserve to know the truth."

Alistair couldn't stop pondering her smile as he left the hall. "The truth," Alistair repeated aloud. What was the truth... really? He was going to find the answer.

"Hello, fellow characters. It's time for a brand-new edition of _Just Right_!" Blondie Lockes said. The mirrors mounted on the walls of the corridors with the theme music began to play.

In a short time, Raven approached the place, where the spectators were. There, everyone gathered to watch the popular MirrorCast.

"We all know that the Evil Queen cursed Wonderland... a curse that threatened all the fairytales. So they magically locked every rabbit hole and looking glass gate from Wonderland to the others realms. Today we're going to have a testimony of a character that lives this situation, literally, with you the temperamental princess who comes from a magical and very crazy land… Elizabeth Hearts."

"Good afternoon, royals and commoners of the f Fairy Tales Land. Well, even though it's my destiny to be angry, I'm usually quite calm. In fact, ever since I was 3-of-hearts old, I spent hours working on my non-anger management. It was difficult at times, but mother was always supportive. She wanted me to have the best childhood ever after. I had so many friends, so many tea parties and I was always happy. That is until 'she' arrived."

"Who was she?" Blondie asked she asked curiously, studying Lizzie's body language and facial expressions.

"Continuing," Lizzie said, starting to get irritated with the distraction. "A few years ago, a hooded crone knocked on our door looking for a place to rest. As thanks, the old woman offered mother the shiniest apples anyone had ever seen. It wasn't long before this stranger became close with my mother, always whispering poison into her ear. Over time, mother became suspiciously fearful of everyone. When friends invited me to tea parties, they were told, 'Go away!' My tutors were fired. The guards were unshuffled. All the joy... the grandeur... the muchness of being a Royal disappeared from Card Castle, replaced by slow-ticking clocks and lonely shadows. I was ordered to my room, and my door was locked behind me. Then one day I heard loud shouting. I screamed for help, but nobody answered. That is until I heard the familiar POOF! of a Cheshire Cat appearing from thin air. Kitty Cheshire has been my best friend forever after since nursery rhyme school, and I had never been happier to see her."

The camera began to close on Lizzie's face slowly, increasing the drama, "I asked her, 'Kitty, what's happening?' with tears in her eyes, she hugged me, 'We're leaving Wonderland.' We POOFED out of the castle, and travelled up the rabbit hole into the land of Ever After. The rabbit hole was sealed, and a wishing well built over it. That was the last time I saw Wonderland." Lizzie said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I understand your feelings, the sadness at the loss of your mother combined with the cruel circumstances," Blondie said, wiped Lizzie's tears with her handkerchief.

Raven didn't wait for the end of MirrorCast and quickly walked down the long hallway, never looking at anyone for fear they would read her mind of the terrible deed she was going to do.

"Why are you so mad at me?" Raven shouted at Lizzie. "I haven't done anything to you! It's not my fault that my mother did what she did."

"Mad at you?" She let out a low chuckle and cleared her throat. "I'm not mad at you." She pursed her lips. "Oh, Raven! I'm doing what you should be doing, getting as much attention as possible. After all, we are daughters of drama queens."

Raven was speechless. Her jaw dropped. Raven was at a loss for words. Her only expression was "Wow!"

"Raven!" Melody screamed, drawing everyone's attention around her. "Let's go! You are part of the school band, now."

She didn't stop to ask questions, just ran, following Melody down the hall to the classroom. When Raven entered the second music room, where the instruments were, Bunny was already practicing with her trumpet, Jackalyn was with her golden harp, Sparrow with his arrow-shaped guitar and Melody was behind her DJ turntables.

Raven closed the door behind her and got sat behind the piano. When she was in spellementary school, she had been an excellent music student. The teacher had advised her to complete the muse-ic curse and to dedicate herself to the piano.

"I heard The Royal Student Council just announced something hexciting," Bunny said. She was a herald like all previous White Rabbits before her.

"Something about a dance where girls ask guys to go, right?" Jackalyn asked and looked up at Bunny in disgust.

"ALL THE GIRLS BETTER GET IN LINE-O!" sang Sparrow, as he shredded on his guitar.

"We all know who Raven's going to ask," said Melody, ignoring the pompous son of Robin Hood. "Dexter Charming. You've totally got him under your spell."

"We are just friends," Raven said, though she started blushing. "Even if I did ask him, it'd still be wicked nerve-wracking."

"Yeah," Bunny nervously chuckled. "Imagine how embarrassing it would be if he said no."

"You guys, it's not like you're running from angry giants," chimed in Jackalyn.

 _Maybe she was right. It was just a question, right? That settled it!_

After the band practice, Raven walked into the wall area and started toward the astronomy tower. She paused at the long stairway, crushed by a sudden feeling of profound weariness. It had been a very long day.

The entrance was narrow and dark; to get to the top Raven would need to climb some steps from a dirty half-moon ladder. She walked up the steps carefully. When she arrived on the tower's terrace she saw that it was large, the size of a room, surrounded by walls of wooden lattice fastened to a low concrete wall. Concrete posts, painted white, rose from points of the wall, joined by black metal rods. But this hard wall was largely hidden by the wooden lattice, and in front of the wood were plants. There were six large plants in large pots when she arrived. Some of the pots were clay while others were plastic in the same shape and color as the clay. The plants were all alive, but neglected. They were shapeless and sparse with the exception of an apple tree trained to an iron rod. This small tree was carefully trimmed and shaped, though there were no flowers or fruit, only small leaves.

Raven could see a large part of the sky facing west. It was both dramatic and simple, a large view of the sky within the village. The sun was already low in the sky, making long shadows on the roads and fields. She watched for a few more minutes, then let out a discouraged sigh and sat down upon a small wooden bench built against the wall. She smiled as a slight breeze ruffled her skirt and carried the subtlest and most delicate perfume, which seemed like a waft from a field of violets, carried on a west wind.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

His voice was deep, but surprisingly gentle out of such a handsome nerd-type. He had a well-built form, lean and flat-muscled but became much more active and gained a substantial amount of muscle that contrasted with his beautiful, soft, creamy white skin. The hair was dark blond, almost brown, but still this side of blond. It was short and slightly spiked accentuating the poetic asceticism of his narrow and intelligent face. Dexter's facial features were so fine that they seemed had been sculpted, high cheekbones, a straight classical nose, and sensual lips. His eyes were the deep blue of sapphires with a much thinner ring of melted copper, and an equally thin circle of liquid gold around the dark point of his pupil. But what set his eyes apart eve among the side was that the gold and copper trailed out across his iris like streaks of color in a good piece of lapis lazuli, so that metallic glints shone out from that ring of faultless deep blue.

He had a small crown upon his head, which was apparently smaller than the one his brother wore. He was wearing gray jeans with a pocket chain of the Charming crest and a dark blue blazer with gold embellishments. Under this, he wore a white social shirt with the tails untucked with a white-and-blue striped muffler around his neck. His shoes were high-top, navy converse sneakers.

"D-Dexter... um, you come up here too?" Raven was so happy to see him, but also way too scared.

"Yes! Best place in the whole school to watch the sunset," He said, sitting on a bench next to Raven. "Hey, would you go with me to Spring Fairest's party on Friday?" he said laughingly. A heartwarming smile with deep set dimples framed his white teeth.

"What?" Raven asked, surprised.

"I'd rather just go with a friend. Less pressure that way, know what I mean?"

Raven nodding and nodding, seeming to understand exactly what he said. "Hexcellent!" She was happy, she knew she was happy, and knew she ought to be happy.

As they looked up the sky the yellow ball of fire changed to hues of orange, and then almost tangerine. It merged with the sky, like juice-mix dissolving in a glass of water. The clouds were cotton-candy, as though they blushed at the warm touch of the sun. Silhouettes of birds flew home across a sky that was now magenta; and the sun was half into the water, but its reflection in the lake made it look complete. The mauve of the dusky sky intensified, and in just a while, the biggest star had set, giving way to a thousand others.


	11. Apple's Birthday Bake-Off

Another morning at Ever After High, as the characters was getting fairest for another typical day. Wait, I said typical? There's nothing typical about this day…

The heavy curtains were open to let in the sunlight. Hanging from the ceiling there was a great chandelier hung with apple's flowers-shaped ruby crystals to light the night and the white walls had golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them a sprawling family tree dating back, as far as she could tell, to the Middle Ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read: **The Noble and Most Ancient House of White**. The floor was covered with large stones of white marble, so clean that her face was reflected in him.

A huge queen sized canopy bed suspended over four glass columns rising high from each corner of the bed. Covering the mattress was a thick quilt with green leaves and red and golden apples stamped all over the bedspread. In front of it was goldframed white sofa and two armchairs, one in front of the other, all in white leather. In the space between the sofa and one of the armchairs, an imposing lampshade valued the corner table. In the middle, a low mirrored glass table. A massive mottled mirror in a gold frame ran the length of the wall above the bedhead. The two bedside tables had apple-like crystal lamps and cut-glass bowls full of fake velvet and silk bows. There was a hidden dressing room, and behind one wall of mirrors was a dressing table, an old theatrical type with lightbulb on three sides.

She was sitting there, grooming her angelic hair cascading down, like a golden waterfall, her back and around her flawless face, that made her much more interesting than any cover model. She'd occupied her thoughts all of Friday night, and had woken Saturday morning didn't feel like it is her seventeenth birthday. However, she had a nice happy-birthday feeling, though. A feeling like the day smells a little bit different than the other regular stale days. This day smells sunnier, brighter, sharper, lighter, but she didn't feel seventeen, didn't feel the way she saw her friends felt on their seventeenth birthdays.

The last birthday that really felt like a birthday was her ninth, and she'd been on a wild spinning carousel since then, barely holding on, and though she had memories of going around and around, of one year and another and another and another passing, she felt that she was still nine and has no caught up to where she was supposed to be.

"I want to do this," she said, her voice hushed. It was hard to keep her mask in place while the world shook beneath her feet.

The expression on her father's face changed, as if he was seeing deep inside her. "I see." He extended his arm. "I confess, I was not ready for this… for the worst. But life is like this, even knowing that one day life ends, we are never prepared to lose someone, we never know when to say goodbye."

Tears had already burned her face; every tear seemed like a small ball of fire streaming down. She also was not ready for it, perhaps because she never intended to be a great idol. The problem was that there was so much pressure, such a strong commitment, with such a state of mind that was difficult not to accept the proposal.

She sprinkled a few drops of her favorite perfume on her neck and took one last look in the mirror, trimmed her tiara, and left, hurrying down the winding mahogany staircase, decorated with crimson and gold. The large oak door to the Royal Communal Room didn't open before she approached it, and even after she opened it and went in, to her surprise, there was only silence.

The common room was decorated in several shades of red, and was comfortable, but not more comfortable than the Commoners basement. There were many windows that looked out onto the grounds of the school, and a large fireplace dominated one wall. The mantle of the fireplace was adorned with a portrait of an apple tree. The walls were decorated with scarlet tapestries that depicted princesses and princes, but also various animals. There were also bookcases located in the room, filled with various novels.

Looking around she wondering where everyone was, neither the servant could be seen, the tower was clean, indeed bright, a sign they had worked today, but why did not she see anyone?

She walked toward the grassy lawn full of flowers and trees that her mother had created, Headmaster Grimm had never changed it and spent good money on maintenance, but it was clear that money was being well spent, after all the garden was fantastic, you felt inside a scenario of adventure films.

She pushed the door to the garden, and then went down the first step millions of screams hit her ears, all at the same time retreated a stunned step, bumping into Daring that was just behind her, he grabbed her by the shoulders and smiled. She shook her head and stared out at the garden, all the major future princesses and queens were there: Adria, Ashlynn, Briar Rose, Crystal, Darling, Duchess, Elizabeth, Farrah, Meeshell, Ravenna, Rosabella and Yasmin. Even Blondie was there, giving ample inconvenient coverage to the event.

All of them, distributed in the garden in extremely colorful clothes, had wide smiles on their faces, and bands in their hands, which they swayed frantically in the hope that she would see them. But she couldn't read, not with them shaking them like that, how paralyzed she was, they all hugged her tightly as they mumbled congratulations, but all ended with a totally unexpected phrase, something she was not prepared physically or emotionally to listen.

"Happy birthday, Apple!" Raven said, hugging Apple close to her as she smiled with a look of genuine pleasure to see her.

"Is there anything more perfectly charming than my birthday?" Apple asked, excited, a gleam rising in her eyes. Raven realized that a little hope had sprung up in her.

"Hm... my birthday?" Raven said flatly. Her words were cold and harsh.

"You're such a kidder! I mean, does the entire school spellebrate your birthday with a Royal cake-baking contest?"

"It's not just the Royals in the baking contest this year! I'm gonna make to you the most hexcellent apple crumb cake."

"You mean poison apple crumb cake. You wouldn't be the daughter of the Evil Queen if you didn't try to poison me." Apple said ironically, trying to keep a serious tone.

"My cake is just gonna have sugar, and cinnamon and a little bit of love."

Raven disappeared leaving Apple completely confused.

"What's wrong?" Daring asked, reaching out to touch her face and flick a tear away with his thumb.

"What's wrong?" she asked, lifting her eyes in disbelief at the question. "Raven isn't going to try to poison me. Ugh! I need an herbal potion soak." said Apple coming out of there and slowly returning to her room.

"I wish there was something we could do." said Darling Charming that still incredulous with the scene she had just witnessed. Her hair was tied back in a small bump, which she combed to cascade down her back in thick curls. The silver beaded tiara had a pink heart gem and her earrings were a pair of silver chains with pinkish metal balls.

Her uniform was a white button shirt with three silver chains, hanging from one side of her torso to the other and a silvery armor-like blazer above it, with small collar that were connected by a silver necklace with pink jewels. Her ring was a silver horse bangle attached by a chain and a silver cage with rivets over her silvery skirt, which was slim with a blue peplum, with swirly pink glitter curls patterns. Darling's boots were translucent blue, and had silver chains wrapped around them, ending in metal balls, which serve as the heels.

"Yeah, but, it's not like you can make Raven poison her." Ashlynn Ella said placing a hand on Darling's shoulder.

Ashlynn Ella's hair was in a half-up bun with high ponytail that was falling down her back like a torrential black waterfall with a wrapped single braid around her head that was pink tiara with songbirds and golden pumpkin-shaped earrings. Her uniform was a button up green shirt with a sparkling gold trim and puffy pink sleeves, which turn into translucent blue sleeves. Her jewelry consists of gold bird ring, a floral charm bracelet and a gold birdhouse-like necklace. The skirt was also the same green as the shirt, covered in pink and white blossoms with a translucent overskirt covered in gold leaf patterns over top. And her shoes were translucent, simulating glass, with the heels covered in flowers with vines climbing up her legs to her knees.

Darling Charming gasped, but she recovered soon enough, "Great idea, Ash!" She rubbed her hands together. "I'll pour a little creature concoction into Raven's cake, and Apple will think Raven tried to poison her." She pulled Ashlynn by the hand, dragging her through the people who were still there and did not even look back.

"We could just get her some cute shoes or something! I'll not do that, Darling," Ashlynn said, pulling her hand out quickly, disengaging herself from Darling. "I'm the next Cinderella and not the next evil stepsister. Recompose yourself!"

Far away, at Castleteria, Raven was sitting at the end of the still eating her breakfast, calmly and serenely.

"I like to think of breakfast as the first act of the play that is our day. And no matter how simple or elaborate, it must be savored and enjoyed." Ginger Breadhouse said, looking at her breakfast. "Raven, what kind of cake you are baking?"

Raven swallowed her mouthful of food before she answered. "I was thinking of making applesauce muffins, they are Apple's favorites. And you?"

"I don't know yet." Ginger had been up half the night awake, thinking about what they could do to win the Bake-Off contest. "What do you think we cook together?" Ginger asked. She was so shy that was funny.

Raven held it in Ginger's hands. They were serious. Raven looked to see by her face what it was going to cost her, and when Raven did, when she saw, she knew there was something strange with her, something wasn't right, and she could see through her. Ginger's eyes were like a sweet chocolate that melts at the slightest bit of the heat from love, or happiness, but that chocolate that can also grow hard from the cold harsh reality that was apparent in this world, heartbreak or the depression that she hid from all those around her so well. They didn't say anything for a few awkward seconds.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Raven asked finally, because she knew the explanations might not be simple at all.

"No! Not here. Maybe later..."

"OK!"

After breakfast, they got up from the table, leaving Castleteria and heading toward the short hallway. The first door to the left was the laundry with a chute coming through the ceiling. To the right a door opened into the kitchen, with large windows overlooking the lake. They had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, with a large square table in the center, and in a corner the high cabinet, where the condiments, flour, pots and pans were kept. The little room next to the kitchen was the pantry, where there were the corn for the chickens, the eggs harvested, the cookie cans, the candy boxes, and the garlic cloves. Its floor was of old tiles, interspersed black and white, and all the finishes, from floor to ceiling, as well as the tables, cabinets and chairs were of oak wood.

"Mom and I spent days preparing all kinds of spellicious food, from steamed wyvern claws to barbequed dragon steaks to 3-magicbean salad. But my favorite was always the desserts. As I mixed cupcake batter, I dreamed of hosting my own cooking show. Then at the cookout, when people ate my food, I savored every 'This is better than last year' and 'I must have this recipe'. But, being the daughter of the Candy Witch is an obstacle to be a professional pastry chef. If becoming the next witch from Hansel & Gretel means eating children… I don't want to."

When Ginger spoke Raven's eyes filled with tears, she had never said that kind of thing because she little pronounced herself. Raven had never watched a witch cry with such silent heartache.

They were so similar to each other and at the same time so different. They had the same dreams, hopes, and aspirations. They had the same desires but, unfortunately, only one of them can take advantage of the great chances to change her destiny when opportunities appeared.

Raven could feel the fear in her voice and she had to end her pain. She pointed a perfectly polished nail at the Daughter of the Candy Witch. "Listen here, Ginger Breadhouse. You were put on this earth to create delicious, nonpoisonous treats. You were meant to decorate the world with icing swirls and chocolate sprinkles. That is your _true_ destiny. Don't be afraid to be yourself; you are your own person, unique."

"Are you talking about me, or about you?" Ginger replied.

"I guess I'm talking about both of us. I had been engaged in, and which, in the absorbing labors of the last week, I had entirely neglected and almost forgotten."

"Raven, you hate being Ms. Queen, don't you?"

"Yes, I hate it. They pushed me so hard to be the perfect Ms. Queen that I over stressed myself. I over think everything I do! I can even go out without thinking about what people are saying about me!"

At that moment, Ginger saw Raven not as character from a fairytale, and not as a classmate, but as a person like herself, a person with talent and passion.

They embraced, as if they had not seen each other for a long time or as if they had found each other after being lost to each other. Together they started making the cake, in a somewhat unusual way. Flour flew all over the corner, eggs lay more with the ground than with the bowl; the milk, now and then, was used to make a mustache or be used to celebrate dates that didn't exist. They squatted them around the stove to peer through the furnace glass the cake to grow.

As they made the cakes, they wrote down the quantities of the different ingredients they used, the way they were mixed, how long they baked the cakes, and the temperature of the oven. When they had finished, they had made different apple cakes. However, after tasting the cakes, they agreed that Ginger's was the best.

The sky was almost orange when the cake was ready. It soon spread throughout the room as the smell of hot sugar and apples mixed in with the air particles. She put the cake inside the refrigerator. They cleaned up the kitchen, swept the floor, took the garbage out and walked to the Village of Book End, a short distance from campus. It was a lovely village, filled with delightful shops, like the Glass Slipper Shoe Store and the Piper's Musical Instruments & Records. If students got tired of the Castleteria food, they could visit the Three Bears Porridge Café or the Beanstalk Bakery.

They stopped before the red front door of the **Mad Hatter of Wonderland's Haberdashery & Tea Shoppe**. Visually, the tea shop was a lively and hectic place with a teacup structure as roofs, curved windows, and outdoor tables with teacups serving as shades. Raven took a long, deep breath, trying to keep herself calm.

When Ginger opened the pained wood door, a hiss of steam escaped, smelling of sugarplum biscuits and hot sweet tea. The shop's walls were crowded with hats on hooks and brightly painted doors of different shapes and sizes. Even the ceiling had hats and doors. There were clocks that were inaccurate time-tellers that may be able to be set off and teapots rattled and whistled on every table, creating a kind of music. The doorless/hatless floor was packed instead with tea tables, every seat taken. It was always teatime at the Mad Hatter's.

A bright yellow door on the ceiling opened, and the Mad Hatter leaned down. Even upside down, his top hat remained firmly on his large head. He fell out the door, landing on a huge cushion on the floor. He hopped up on the stool next to them.

The Mad Hatter was tall and skinny, like a stick bent in the wind clutching an oversized windbreaker around him, but his thickly veined arms looked strong, also was handsome but his features were often contorted in madness. His skin was brown like tea mixed with curdled cream and the white hair was curly and long, not quite like a hippie's but close, with green highlights. He had long sideburns down to the bottom of his ears and a prominent overbite that was more obvious because of his constant smile. His eyes were the most lovely color, Raven thought; not hazel at all, but a very clear dark green. Dark enough to look almost black in shadow, but a startling color, almost emerald, when seen directly in bright light. But glittered like a genius or a madman with a mesmerizing, evil charisma.

He dressed in a mix of formal wear and a horse-riding outfit, which were a purple tailcoat that looked as if it might be velvet with gold buttons shaped in suits of playing cards and a large toned magenta collar, purple u-neck vest, a white shirt with a light green, large bow tie making him look like a clown. He had a cane topped with a miniature top hat, green lace trimming his white fingerless leather gloves and two hop golden earrings on the left ear. He wore dark green trousers with white polka dots and on his feet he wore magenta knee- high riding boots. Of course, he was never seen without his signature dark green top hat with cards tucked into the brim, and one of the cards reads '10/6'.

"Hello, sir," said Ginger.

"Ravenna Queen!" said the Mad Hatter. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"Well," said Raven, "both don't have gills."

"Ah, very good," he said. "Your mother taught you very well."

"Thank you. I'm very happy that you like my Riddlish."

"I knew your mother. She seemed very independent, as if she could face a bear. I don't know why your mother was always angry, but she always seemed to complain. In her later days in Ever After High she was so loudly that it hurts your ears."

"Wait…" Ginger said, sitting at a table. "Why _is_ a raven like a writing desk?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," said the Mad Hatter.

He smiled wide around his bucked front teeth and in his stockinged feet, he leaped like a gazelle through the shop and into the kitchen.

"Where's Maddie?" Ginger asked.

Ginger was staring up. There sat Maddie, cross-legged on the wall.

"Um, what are you doing up there?" Ginger called.

"Hi Ginger!" Maddie waved. "Well, we ran out of chairs, so…"

"But _how_ are you sitting on the wall?"

"I don't really know, and I'm not sure I could do it again, but isn't it just so _much_?"

With magical Wonderlandian madness, Madeline could do impossible things, but her magic only worked when she didn't know it was impossible. She tried to take a sideways sip of tea, but the tea dribbled onto the floor. Her pet dormouse, Earl Gray, hopped off her shoulder, scurried down the wall, and lapped it up. She put her hands in the air and slid down the wall, shouting "Wheee!" and landing on her feet.

She moved very gracefully, dancing with a carriage that would break any ballerina's heart, and her small, petite frame, coupled with her unresponsive stare, gave her the look of a porcelain doll. Her skin was matt brown skin, like tea brewed in milk, with large green eyes, the kind of green that mint ice cream gets jealous of and had the wild glint of a madman too, just like his father. Maddie had the finest most delicate magenta eyebrows, a nose like a daisy bud with freckles sprinkled across it, and her smile was warm with a hint of shyness. The long hair was mint green with dark magenta highlights and was curly, like the wool on a newborn baby lamb, styled into a bouncy Afro.

In her head had a tiny purple teacup that resembles a top hat, gold spoon drop earrings and a jade bead necklace with a golden bow. Her uniform was a cream social shirt with magenta puffy-sleeves, teal gloves with white polka dots and lacy cuffs, a purple hat ring and a big teal bow as a belt. The skirt had three layers: one purple with gold accents and a gold diamond trim, one with white and light blue stripes, and the last being black tulle with golden flecks. She also wore white tights with blue polka dots that were the inverse of her gloves design. Her shoes were white-cream with gold teapot-handle-resembling wedges.

Raven nodded. "I have some serious magic envy. My dark sorcery is…" She shuddered. "But your Wonderland madness is… is–"

"Wonderlandiful! Everyone should be mad, mad, mad." Maddie said in her silver bell-like voice.

After a few minutes, she came back with a small silver tray with a teapot, cups and a sugar bowl, all of porcelain white porcelain with purple flowers, plus a dessert plate of biscuits made from Wonderlandian chocolate.

"It's not exactly what you ordered," said Maddie. "But I find on an upside-down kind of day, when your belly is full of thoughts and your head is full of butterflies, nothing quite puts things right like charm blossom tea. Watch…" She poured the lavender-colored tea into Raven's cup. The liquid began to stir its own, rippling and spinning, pale lavender blending into peach and then orange. "It listens to your voice and becomes just the flavor you need."

They were wonderstruck at what had happened and seemed too shock to speak.

Maddie sat in the chair beside Raven, rested her chin on her hands, and smiled. "When I came here, I felt like the last teaspoon in the drawer. But then I met my best friend forever after, and everything was okay as pumpkin in pie. It will be for you, too, especially since I put in extra honey."

Raven's posture slumped, just a little, and she looked into her cup of tea. "But my destiny isn't a very nice one, you know, even if I'll be a queen."

As she spoke, the tea turned a deep, deep purple. Raven lifted the cup and sipped. Her thick black eyebrows rose, coming together. The tea was really good. She could taste the honey in the tea and if she wanted to he could just taste the tea powder. The bitterness of tea powder. The strange aftertaste it left after gulping down the tea.

The truth was Maddie greatly enjoyed the upside-down kind of days, especially because they always seemed to include a cup of warm tea with great deal of honey.

They talked about school, about boys, work, and boys, friends, and boys… and even about religion. A ringing sounded, crackled and hoarse, in the shop. And, shortly thereafter, the high-box clock, in the corner, gave the other sixteen. Raven checked the watch on her MirrorPhone. 17:01.

"Do we have to go? We are late?" Ginger asked nervously.

Raven nodded.

As they said goodbye to their new friend, they disappeared into smoke clouds of different colors, Raven was purple and Ginger was a pinkish hue. They took the cake made by both and ran to the royal garden of the princesses, where the competition would be held.

At the baking contest, the students put their cakes on the table. All of them, including Raven's, were beautiful.

The cakes looked beautiful lined across the table. There were at least a dozen cakes. On the high table, there were several soft drinks and wine bottles, all arranged around the cake.

One was a chocolate cake filled with chocolate mousse, shaped to resemble a castle, with ice cream cone turrets dipped in chocolate and covered in sprinkles. Following that was a stunning ombré rosette cake with layers of red velvet sponge and then sprinkled with pink sugar dust. This was then succeeded by an absolutely dreamy and sophisticated coconut cake, iced with coconut frosting, generously covered with a handful or two of coconut shavings and finally bedecked with a champagne-colored satin bow at the base. Next up was the topmost was a double tier vanilla and almond cake with the bottom tier enclosed in edible silver leaf and adorned with a single sugar magnolia. And last but not ever least a cinnamon spiced applesauce cake drizzled on top with luscious caramel sauce, as bourbon-laced brown sugar butter cream oozed in between.

"And now we have the witches' cake." Apple said just as solemnly. Beside her were the Charming Twins, Daring & Darling.

"Taste it!" Ginger said happily, offering a slice.

Apple gasped as Blondie stopped her. "Um, Apple, have you forgotten? I'm your official taster! I have to make sure these cakes are just right." She took a first bite and started to chew.

"Oh, wow! It's so moist!" She said, squawking. "And tender!" She squawked again. Within seconds, Blondie turns into a phoenix, shocking everyone.

"What?" Apple said surprise.

"Apple, I swear—"

Apple gave Raven a tight hug, "You did try to poison me!"

"Hey! I… I'm the one who… eh, I mean, yes! Way to go, Raven, you bad, evil girl," Darling said as if she were hiding something.

"Yes, we did it. That's why we made the cake together. Ravenna was not quite sure how to add the potion to the cake so I helped her. "

"You see, Ravenna, telling the truth sometimes doesn't hurt." Apple said. A hint of a cynical smile materialized on her face. "Next!" she screamed.

They left with surprised looks and more than a few raised eyebrows. Some even frowned.

"Why did you lie? We didn't do that."

"I didn't want to become defensive, or to talk about myself, so I tried to deflect her."

Raven was becoming frustrated because nothing she was doing seemed to help her situation. She raised her eyebrows and looked a little confused. Her muscles all tightened and her face seemed to burn, as if someone had passed with a lighted torch near him. Raven quickly to turn into a crow herself and fly out of the situation.

When she arrived in her room, she washed her face, hands and neck with the hot water, and dried herself carefully with a soft towel. Then she sat down at her dressing table and brushed out her long dark hair.

The large dressing table was made of dark wood with intricately carved with swirls and feathers and covered with dark purple velvet frayed at the edges. The dressing table had a beautiful silver-framed oval mirror, with two adjustable side mirrors, and laid out on the dressing table were cut glass containers for make-up, perfume and beautifying potions. Both these items of furniture were finished in a strange, ebonized, matching late Edwardian style, which gave the whole room a very somber atmosphere.

"So it was you." Raven said looking into the mirror. "It was you who sabotaged me, Darling Charming."

"Who are you talking to?" said Ramona behind her.

"No one, Ramona." said Raven, turning back. "Now I ask you, who are you going to talk to?"

Ramona was dressed in a dark blue nightgown, stamped with golden crescent moons that hung off her white shoulders. Her thick dark hair was loose and falling down her back.

"You know… with Leo." Ramona smiled nervously.

"But I didn't even know you had returned."

"We do not go back dating. We're just enjoying the moment. I really have to go now." Ramona gave Raven a hug. "Bye, bye." The door slammed behind her.

Raven stood up walking toward the queen sized bed and lay down on it. The plush purple comforter covered up the mattress, and was overloaded with several large plush pillows. Finally, not utterly exhausted, but aware that she needed to rest, Raven slipped under the duvet and turned out the lights. There she stayed, not realizing that she fell asleep.

"I think it's time we taught her good manners, Raven Queen. This is going to be your gift, Apple White." She concluded with an evil laugh. Her laughter echoed through the castle and down into the depths of the dungeon, where behind large thorn bars, in a dark and moist room, the woman in the mirror was.


	12. Maddie's Chat with the Narrator

And so our characters' mysterious journey finally at Ever After High began.

 _Wait, who are you, Voice?_

Oh! You really can hear me?

 _Of curse I can._

Well, I'm the Narrator.

 _Hi, Narrator. I'm Madeline Hatter, and I'm really enjoying all your clever observations and helpful information._

Well, thank you! No one's ever noticed before.

 _I'm pretty good at noticing things, I'm also good at standing on my head, eating three things at once talking without taking a breath for a long long long long long long long long time, picking out a good watermelon, and thinking up riddles – tough I can't always solve them, at least not my own. Other people's riddles are easier to solve, don't you agree?_

I hadn't thought about it before, but I shall try to observe. That's I do best. And I'd best get back to it.

 _Okay! I'll be listening!_


	13. The Unsigned Page

Something moved. That's what woke her up, the creaking of something heavy moving. There was someone in the room. Raven was too scared to open her eyes. She didn't want to see what was there. It was enough to feel the presence… that weight in the air that meant someone else was breathing in there. Under the heat of the blankets, Raven's skin shivered with cold. It could not be happening again.

Raven listened. Seconds passed. No sound. Maybe it was a nightmare. She knew she must open her eyes. Just to check it out. Just to be sure. A sound raised from the silence, so soft it could hardly be heard, the direwolf's growl. Very slowly she opened her eyes. Everything was dark as the blackest ink. Everything was silent, even the air. There was something wrong. She felt it deep inside, wrapping her stomach and twisting her nerves into knots.

She could see the small pear shape of its hairy back. He was sitting in a corner, looking at something, growling. Raven knew she must laugh at herself; it was just Ramona's direwolf cub. But her limbs were still frozen. Something wasn't right. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she had to hold a gasp. There was a shadow in the corner that should not be there.

And as if in a daring prediction of the future, on the floor beside the armchair was the fragile body of a woman lying face down. A golden crown glittered at his side, as if it had been dropped when she fell. But the dead woman was not what left Raven stunned with fear.

A wrinkled old woman was kneeling beside the corpse. With a claw-like hand, she clung to a musty story book, open on the last page: a painting of a Prince Charming kissing Snow White, bringing her back to life, while seven dwarfs smiled happily, and one dead witch on the ground, behind them. A dead witch who looked exactly like the wrinkled old woman holding the history book.

"That was the old story…" the witch said in a scuffled voice, looking at the last page in the book.

In front Raven's eyes, the painting magically redrawn itself until it showed the old witch, now crouched over the corpse of Snow White with all the dead dwarves behind her.

"And this is the new one," the witch wickedly smiled. "But only if you–"

Raven's focus shifted back to the half-hidden corpse beneath Ramona's bed, the royal crown thrown and a deep dread gripped her, climbing up her spine. She didn't know what to do. The image of Snow White stabbed, lying in a pool of blood, was deeply marked on Raven's head. Standing a few inches away, she felt a sword rip through her throat. She fell to the floor. The blood had already bathed her whole body and flames consumed her whole.

She woke up screaming sweaty and curled up in the sheets. She was dizzily remembering the images she had visualized during her sleep and which now occurred to her as flashes of memory.

"It was a nightmare, nothing more! You should be used to it." She said as she smiled to herself.

Raven had been through these dreams for a long time. It was always the same. Her nightmares were becoming less frequent, but sometimes she would still wake up screaming or crying. She wiped her eyes before the tears had a chance to fall and took a deep breath to calm herself down. Sighing, she got up and took a bottle of water from the minibar. After giving several sips, she wiped her mouth and suddenly realized that Ramona wasn't lying in her own bed. It was over two hours past the scheduled time, and she had not yet returned.

They, Raven and Nevermore, left the room. Her bare feet began to walk on that cold floor without making a single sound that could be heard by anyone who was sleeping there. Nevermore was straining, pulling forward, nose up and sniffing the air ahead.

The night was clear and beautiful like a real spring night; only the breeze, still frigid enough, reminded of the approach of winter. A heavy mist covered the ground down the valley. She was walking very quickly but enjoying the smooth and warm breeze as well as the marvelous view from that night over the fields.

Raven was about to return, when from the corner of her right eye, she saw shadows under the bushes and trees. Walking slowly so not to make too much noise, she hid behind a tree quickly, trying not to make a sound as she breathed. Raven had noticed that the shadows were actually a couple and they seemed to be enjoying intimate moments. She knew it was ridiculous, but just for a moment, she felt... envious. She had never had a moment like that in her life.

After her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she was surprised at what she saw. Her lips formed a perfect O in surprised. Raven never thought they could be a couple. She could identify them with only the soft light of the moon. When she saw them, she pulled back into the shadow of a tree, as though trying to make herself invisible. Raven was distracted watching the couple as a hand gently touched her shoulder and a low voice whispered close to her ear from behind her:

"What are you doing here?"

She seemed to recognize the voice but looked back slowly.

"I was looking for you, Ramona." Raven said, little more than a whisper.

"I know I'm a bite late but why are you whispering?" She whispered back.

POOF!

"Am I whispering? I'm not whispering." Raven said raising her voice to a more audible one, since they were in their room. "You're not a bite late, you're too late. I was worried that you haven't shown up."

"Believe me, I didn't want to."

"Look at the time you arrived today. The last time I dared to go past eleven without being in the room, you hardly had syncope. I would start calling everyone trying to make sure that you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm sure that you were," Ramona said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" Raven asked. "I tried to reach your folks, but I didn't get an answer. I finally reached Leo, but all he said was that he had seen you earlier and that you were fine. Who were you talking to out there?"

"I was not talking to anyone." Ramona insisted. "I told you, me and Leo, we're meeting again, just this."

Raven starred at Ramona for a minute, silent, her eyes red, wide. And when she finally spoke, she seemed disappointed. "You're lying," she said.

"No, Raven—"

Raven bit her lip, then said shouting, "You're lying to me, Ramona. You're trying to push me away. Again! And I don't know if you are just trying to convince me or you're trying to convince yourself, but either way, I know you're lying." She said wiping the tears that insisted on falling from her eyes, turning toward her bed.

It was almost dawn when they went to sleep. In less than four hours they had to be at Castleteria. The alarm rang as scheduled in the early hours of the morning.

Raven followed her usual ritual of hugging the pillow as hard as she could, then lying limp and feeling the softness against her face. Next, with both hands, she grasped the board at the head of her top bunk and, in a burst of steely determination, pulled herself from under the blankets to a sitting position on top of her pillow. There, from this new and lofty vantage point, she gazed at her destination (the floor several feet above) and, for a few minutes, pondered whether, considering the state of the magic world and all, it wouldn't be better to slither back into the warmth she had just left.

But no, Raven quickly climbed down to the everyday level of life, put on a record on her MirrorPhone, and opened the door. The whole floor was hers. The many empty showers were like the places set a the Mad Hatter's tea party, where the few merrymakers sat at a very long table and, as the dishes became dirty, moved down to new, unused places. She did a Germanic folk dance down the corridor and then ran back to her room to get dressed.

"Ramona," Raven called. "Wake up fast because you haven't time for coffee and you still have to wear your uniform. Let's go! Take a cold shower so you wake up soon…"

She was speaking and pushing Ramona, while she complained: "I'm going to set the school on fire. Why are they massacring us like this? It's not fair to do this to students as big bad as us."

Whenever Raven thought about Legacy Day, she felt sick to her stomach. Which was often lately, since Apple was bringing it up _constantly_. Raven couldn't put it off any longer. She had to look in the Storybook of Legends. Perhaps her story wouldn't be as bad as she feared. Perhaps she would see herself just pretending to be Snow White's Evil Queen, as if acting a part in a play, and then return to being Raven once Apple Snow White married her prince.

But before she signed that book, she had to be sure. And today was the day. Raven felt those bird wings of nervousness beating in her chest, buts he wouldn't back down. She had spent days planning every detail.

She checked her bag for the fifth time, just to make sure she had enough wrapped caramels. She had to get through Grimmnastics class and double-check with Dexter, but as soon as the lunch bell rang, it was showtime.

"Why do you keep checking your bag?" asked Maddie as they walked to class. "Do you have squirrels in there or something?"

"Squirrels? Uh, no…"

"The squirrels in Wonderland always wore hats," Maddie said wistfully.

"You miss your home?"

"Oh yes," said Maddie. "Wonderland was wonderlandiful."

Raven's heart pinched. It was her mother's rampage that had forced Maddie and others to flee Wonderland, sealing the portal shut behind them–perhaps forever.

Maddie widened her near-constant smile and took Raven's hand. "But if I'd never left Wonderland, I wouldn't have met you!"

"Raven," said Cedar Wood, "you have a smudge of ink under your nose that looks like snot–sorry! Sorry, I couldn't help saying it!"

Cedar looked like a tall, slender, graceful sculpture done in a wood, the color of rich, well-polished dark wood, and like mahogany, it was smooth and flawless. Her skin even had that kind of subtle sheen, halfway between matte and shiny. Her face was long and narrow, with high cheekbones and her eyes sparkled, the light making them look alive. Their light brown color was soft, the exact shade of a latte. A ring of gold hung inside her iris, adding another layer of depth to her already beautiful eyes. Her long, curly hair was a deep, rich brown, reminding one of fertile fields and elegant wood.

On her hair she had a green cricket barrette and gold tree stump earrings. Her uniform was a purple button up shirt with white collar. Her sleeves were pale and light purple and had bumpy edges. She had a gold donkey, whale and leaf charm bracelet, a blue fairy ring, and a red belt that was attached to a top layer of purple, followed by the color palette of purple, yellow, pink and black. Her skirt was a gradient from peachy pink to black covered in small gold glitter flowers and patterns of purple blooms with small purple diamonds lining the bottom. She wore knee-socks, completed with a small ribbon at the top with cross-stitched embroidery going to the bottom of her sock. Her shoes were open-toe wooden style wedges decorated with leaf patterns with pink straps.

"No, that's fine," said Raven, wiping the ink off. "I'd rather know than look like a fool."

Having an honest friend like Cedar could be awesome. But she not only couldn't tell lies, she was also compelled to just burst out with the truth at random times. What if she knew Raven planned to sneak into the headmaster's office and was compelled to tell him, about it?

No, Raven couldn't risk telling her, Or Maddie, either. Maddie meant no harm, but she burst couldn't help talking.

Up ahead, Russell Ridinghood was walking alone to class, draped as always in his red cloak and hood. His broad shoulders pulled on the cloak, his muscular legs beneath his jeans. Raven wondered if Russell was an athlete.

The face under the hood was too pretty to be handsome with an excited grin stretched wide across his face, the bright teeth standing in vivid contrast to the deep russet color of his skin. His long, lustrous black hair fell like satin curtains on either side of his broad face with a thick fringe over his forehead so that he flicked his head, like a man with a muscular tick, over and again to shake it out of the way. The doe-eyes were surprisingly bright, a luminous gray like storm clouds with heavy dark lashes, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones.

His uniform was a red hooded cloak decorated by tree branches which form a wolf face on the back of the cape. And it was held together with chains. The button up shirt was red and black tartan checked with black lacy sleeves. He had a black bangle, a red ring and a large brown belt which looked like three belts with silver buckles. Attached to the belt was a silver chain with a silver locket of a leaf design. He also wore tight dark grey jeans and shin high, brown high heeled boots with a silver buckle and brown laces.

"Hey, Raven," Ramona called out.

Raven looked at Ramona and began to lift her hand as if she would wave back.

The Three Piglets came down the hall toward the Cooking room, and they bumped into Ramona. All the three gave a high, piercing squeal and ran in terror. The first piglet opened the classroom door. The second opened leaped through. The third piglet opened slammed the door shut behind him. Raven heard the click of the lock. They peeked out the window of the Cooking room's door, saw Raven pass by, squealed again, and dropped back down.

In the locker room, Raven, Maddie and Cedar changed into their purple, red and gold-striped Grimmnastics uniforms and entered the gym.

"The design is just so uninspired," Briar Beauty was saying to Apple, pinching the tank top and long shorts. "I could come up with a completely fabulous uniform. Picture this: pink leather, skinny silver belt, and black knee-high boots–"

"Sounds lovely," said Darling Charming. She didn't seem to walk so much as float across the floor. "But I don't think some students can wear anything as pale as pink, poor dears. The evil in them seeps out and stains the fabric." She looked at Raven and raised one thin eyebrow.

"Don't be such a toad, Darling," said Raven.

"Hey!" said Hopper Croakington II, who was standing nearby.

"Sorry, Hopper," said Raven.

Hopper shrugged. "It okay, toads are jerks. Now _frogs_ , on the other hand–"

The tardy bell rang three times. The Grimmnasium door slammed open, and Ashlynn Ella raced in.

"I made it on time! Did I make it on time?" With a poof and a sizzle, Ashlynn's uniform dissolved into Cinderella rags. She hung her head. "I didn't make it on time."

Coach Gingerbreadman wearing sweatpants and an Ever After High T-shirt over his hard cookie frame, came onto the court bouncing a ball.

"Welcome to your Legacy Year, kids. And Your Highnesses," he said, nodding toward the royals. "Let's start it off right. Everyone grab a basket."

A few people groaned.

"That's right," he said, winking with one frosting eye. "We're playing basketball."

Everyone moved into their natural structure: royals versus commoners. Trough Raven was technically royal (an _evil_ royal), she felt more comfortable with the commoners, and no one argued. She draped a basket of treats on one arm and took the ball from their coach.

"And, go!" he said, blowing his whistle. "Run, run, as fast as you can!"

Raven dribbled, her team rushing down the court toward where Apple's team was waiting, baskets swinging. She passed the ball to Russell, who was wearing his cloak and hood over his Grimmnastics uniform. Russell dribbled with one hand, holding her basket with the other. Daring Charming was facing her down.

"It's no use, Russell Ridinghood," said. "I am a Charming –brave, cunning, athletic–"

Russell faked left and dribbled right around him, driving toward the royals' end of the court. It was then that Coach Gingerbreadman released the wolves.

While trying to dodge wolves, who were trying to eat the treats from their baskets, the students passed and dribbled, but mostly ran.

After Russell made a shot, Daring got control of the ball, passing to Dexter over the heads of Raven and three wolves. The two brothers drove down the court, leaping over wolves and dodging opponents. Raven was so startled by Dexter's ability she just stood there watching. Who knew he was as good as his brother? Even Hunter and Russell couldn't manage to get in front of them before Dexter made a slam dunk.

A wolf got Russell's basket, so he was out. Blondie Locks lost her basket, and Hopper Croakington lost his, making him so mad he turned into a frog on the spot. Kitty Cheshire disappeared and reappeared sitting on top of the commoners' basketball standard, kicking her legs and eating pastries from her basket.

"Catherine Cheshire!" Coach Gingerbreadman shouted. "Get back on the court or you'll foul out of the game."

With her customary huge smile, Kitty faded away and reappeared black on the court, only to vanish again and reappear on the royals' basketball standard.

"You can't catch me, Coach Gingerbreadman," she said.

The coach sighed, and then quickly sidestepped a wolf who was out of bounds.

Farrah Goodfairy was flapping her butterfly-like wings flapping her wings furiously, rising above the court.

"Flying is against the rules, Farrah!" said the coach.

"But… but… wolves!" said Farrah.

Her basket slipped from her hands and fell directly into a wolf's open jaw.

Not that the wolves had a taste of pastries, they were slathering into a frenzy, howling and yipping. Raven had no idea who had the ball. She held her basket above her head and concentrated on avoiding the snapping jaws of wolves hyped up on sugar. She almost missed playing simple, old dodgeball in nursery-rhyme school.

A salivating wolf was in hot pursuit of Lizzie Hearts, who kept shouting, "Off whit is head! Off whit is head!"

"I'll help you!" Hunter Huntsman rushed toward Lizzie, pausing first to rip off his shirt, place his fists on his hips, and strike a bold pose. Out of nowhere, trumpets played a heroic fanfare.

"Hunter, Lizzie is not even on our team!" Raven shouted after him.

"Aw, he's a big sweetie pie," said Maddie. "A big, sugary banana slices of pie, cutie-sweetie Hunter."

A wolf ate Maddie's basket in one toothy bite. Maddie giggled.

Ashlynn was on her hands and knees, talking to a wolf. He howled back, nodding and rolling his eye as if complaining about something in wolf language. She took a pastry from her basket and fed it to him on her palm.

"Someone throw the ball!" Coach Gingerbreadman called. But no one could find it.

"Maybe a wolf ate it?" Dexter offered helpfully. He was still running around, enjoying the game, though there wasn't much to call a game anymore, just a hot mess of wolves, screams and spilled pastries. Apple refused to give up, though, shouting out calls.

"Come on, team! No retreating! It's time to shine!"

Raven ran up beside Dexter, pretending to be on defense, "Hey, Dex, nice day for catapulting cabbages?"

He smiled, looked around to see if anyone was watching, then gave Raven the thumbs-up. By the time the bell rang, the court was strewn with baskets carcasses, pastry crumbs, and wolves with full bellies, beginning to snooze. Only one student still had an untouched basket over his arm, Russell Ridinghood.

"That's a win for the commoners!" said Coach Gingerbreadman.

"I insist upon a rematch!" said Daring Charming.

Russell vaulted over a last hungry wolf one her way out. Given Russell's story, Raven would have thought he would be afraid of wolves.

With a nod at Dexter, Raven left to change in the locker room. She slipped on her Coat of Infinite Darkness, once a gift from her mother. The long, black coat with dragon-scale details looked so good she almost wished people noticed her in it, but that would defeat the purpose. Even better was how it helped her blend with shadows.

She stayed away from the bright windows in the faculty wing, watching till she saw Headmaster Grimm leave his office.

Gus and Helga Crumb were sitting on the floor in the alcove, eating their lunch, Gus had a bag of bread crumbs he was stuffing into his mouth by the handful.

They looked almost identical: two dimples, almond-shaped brown eyes, peach skin flushed prettily and pastel pink, blue, and lavender hair. In Helga, the hair was tied in a high side ponytail with sprinkles and two small purple and hot pink bows, and in Gus, the hair was styled with a slight undercut and layered bangs.

In her Coat of Infinite Darkness, Raven slipped by. Starting at the headmaster's door, she lay down a candy trail, looping down the hall and ending at Coach Gingerbreadman's gingerbread office. She hid around the corner and waited.

"Vhat is dis, my cousin Helga?"

"I do not know. Vhat is dis, my cousin Gus?"

"Dis is caramels, my cousin Helga. Fat, juicy caramels."

"Someone has lost their caramels. Perhaps ve should keep them safe in our bellies!"

There was the sound of crinkling caramel wrappers, followed by much munching and sucking.

Raven waited till the sounds faded down the hallway before sending Maddie a hext on her MirrorPhone.

 **Raven: Are you in the Castleteria? Can you tell Blondie there's free porridge in the faculty wing?**

 **Maddie: Absotively. {:-)**

Maddie ended all her hext messages with the emoticon of smiley face wearing a hat.

Raven took off her coat and paced. In a few moments, Blondie Lockes came running up the stairs, her perfect golden ringlets bouncing.

"Ravenna! I heard something about porridge?"

"Porridge?" Raven said, playing ignorant. "I'm not sure. I was just standing here waiting for Headmaster Grimm to come buck but I did think I smelled something porridgey and sweet from the other side of his door…"

Blondie's eyes widened and she sniffed the air like a hound on the hunt. She couldn't seem to help herself as she walked over to the headmaster's door and gave the doorknob a twist. The door opened hand, as one day the Three Bears' door would. Blondie had an uncanny ability to open any lock.

Raven followed her in, Blondie taking deep breaths through her nose.

"That's funny, I could've sworn…" Raven wandered over to the crystal case holding the Storybook of Legends. "I keep smelling something right here."

"In here?" Blondie put her hand on the case, and the lock dropped away. "There's nothing in here but an old book."

Raven looked at her Mirror Phone. "Oh wait, just got a hext that they're serving sweet porridge in the Castleteria. Sorry, must've smelled it through the vents or something."

Blondie swung her head around, like a predator listening for prey, and took off.

Raven shut the door quietly behind her. She had asked a goblin who worked in the kitchen to make a big pot of porridge for lunch, so at least Blondie wouldn't be disappointed. She took a deep breath and stood before the Storybooks of Legends.

The tome was covered in dark, cracked leather and edged with gold filigree. The Ever After High crest adorned the center. And as Raven suspected, it was locked. Asking Blondie to open that lock as well would have been too suspicious. She thought Headmaster Grimm loved that book; Raven would bet that he opened it regularly just to look through it. Maybe every day was Legacy Day to Milton Grimm.

"I, Milton Grimm," said Raven, "descendant of the Brothers Grimm, wish to open the Storybook of Legends."

A golden key opened. Magic crackled in the air with a smell like burnt nutmeg. The hair on Raven's arms stood up. She flipped to the back and found her page, RAVEN QUEEN was spelled out in purple script. But for a short description of her destiny and a blank line at the bottom where she would sign, the page was empty. She tapped it, whispered at it, and commanded it to show her story. But the page just sat there, page like. She tried to view Dexter Charming's page, too, but no story showy thing happened. Apparently, that only worked on the actual Legacy Day, too.

Raven rubbed her eyes, wanting to cry. She'd daydreamed about seeing her story play out, with a wild hope that it wouldn't be so bad after all, but no such luck. She'd have to wait till Legacy Day now. Not looking for anything in particular, Raven began thumbing back through the pages. There was Witchy Brew's signature.

Raven had been in the crowd last Legacy Day, watching that year's Legacy students approach the book. She remembered Witchy's sad face as she signed. Witchy used to paint watercolors of frolicking unicorns and once had helped Raven open her locker when it was stuck. But Raven had watched Witchy commit to becoming a villain who lures children into her home and fattens them up to eat them.

What Raven would promise to become in just three short weeks was even worse than a childeating witch. She thumbed back farther. All the tales were known to her: There was the son of the Genie's signature, the Goose Girl's daughter, Peter Pan's daughter. There was the Ugly Duckling's flipper print and the tiny scrawl of the Tinker Bell.

And much farther back, her own mother's. The thick, looping signature took up half the page and showed no hesitation. Could it be that her mother was happy to become the Evil Queen? Eager, even? Raven sighed at her own sighed at her own pathetic self.

In the oldest part of the book, Raven discovered a page that was hauntingly different.

 **NAME:** BELLA SISTER  
 **STORY:** THE TWO SISTERS  
 **DESTINY:** THE CRUEL GIRL WHO TRIES TO DROWN HER SISTER AND SO IS CURSED WITH UGLINESS  
 **SIGNATURE:**

Blank. It was blank. Whoever this Bella Sisters was, she hadn't signed the book. But… but everyone signed. Didn't they? Had Bella refused? Rebelled? The possibility tingled and sparked inside Raven as if she'd swallowed a firecracker. Raven had never heard of the tale of the Two Sisters, but clearly Bella Sister was destined to be a villain, just like Raven.

 _If I didn't have to be the Evil Queen…_

Her heart pounded; her stomach felt full of fire moths. Maybe Raven could refuse, too. Maybe she could rebel. Maybe she wouldn't signed the book.

But what would happen then?

Apparently, when Bella Sister hadn't signed, her tale had disappeared from history, since Raven had never heard of it. But what about Bella herself? Had she disappeared? Died? Raven felt a warm, pressing purpose rise up inside her. She had to find out more about Bella Sisters. She had to understand what the next chapter held for those who didn't sign.

Raven locked up and left.

As she crept down the hall, she heard shouting from the direction of Coach Gingerbreadman's gingerbread office.

"As a general rule, Mr. and Miss Crumb, if something has a door or a wall or windows, it's a _structure_ , not a snack!"


	14. Big Bad Secret!

Raven had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do, yet strangely enough she felt free — _really free_! For the first time in her life she felt free. Free to go and do whatever she pleased without worrying about disappointing her parents. She could be the free spirit she always knew was deep within her, waiting for the right moment to surface and fly. Raven's destiny was uncertain, but the moment was here. Raven closed her eyes letting the happiness soak right into her bones. She wanted the feeling to still be there when she was old.

She wandered out onto the empty terrace, so full of thoughts she could barely stand straight. What had happened to Bella Sister? What would happen to Raven if she didn't sign?

She was about to sit in the shade of the massive pedestal and formulate a plan when she heard someone singing in a scratchy voice.

 _There you go again today_

 _Slaying dragons, vaulting walls,_

Raven peeked over the lip of the terrace. Dexter was on a lower balcony of the castle, cleaning bits of cabbage off his boots and singing to himself.

 _I would spin straw into gold_

 _Or sleep on a thousand peas_

 _To bring you safely back home_

Raven grabbed some ivy and slid down to his balcony.

"Whoa!" Dexter said, jumping back. "Raven! It's you! And I was singing out loud, wasn't I? That's embarrassing."

" _It's enchanting to see you_ ," Raven sang the chorus of the song, " _leaving in shiny armor, and it's enchanting to be me_ –"

"You're a Tailor Quick fan?" he asked.

Raven shrugged.

"I know it's not popular anymore to be a Quickian, but I can't help it. I usually go for music with a harder edge, but I just love her sound."

Dexter nodded, adjusting his glasses. "I think she just got too popular, you know? And then everyone wanted to be unique, so they refuse to like her anymore. But if a song rocks, then it rocks."

"Exactly. So you shouldn't be embarrassed, either."

Dexter laughed. "Yeah... but I'm a guy. My brother wouldn't be caught dead singing a love song. He wouldn't even be caught in a magical slumber singing a love song. But I..." He glanced at Raven as if wondering if she'd make fun of him. "I've always liked the idea of true love, like in the songs, though I don't know if I'm destined for it."

"I wish I could tell you," she said. "The Storybook didn't show me my story or yours. I guess that only happens on Legacy Day." She could see he was disappointed, but he tried to smile anyway. "Oh well. I mean, Legacy Day isn't so far away, right?"

"No, it's not." Her stomach felt cold.

He rubbed his hand over his head as if trying to smooth his hair flat, but it just stuck back up again.

Raven liked it that way. Why did she suddenly want to confide in this boy? Having the Evil Queen as a mother was a constant lesson in not trusting anyone. But Dexter just seemed so... _something_.

So she told him about the unsigned page and he listened, leaning toward her, his elbows resting on his knees.

"I want to find out what happened to Bella Sister all those years ago," said Raven. "But it's not like I can just look up in a phone book under 'Oldest Living Resident of Ever After High' and find someone who remembers her."

"A phone book!" said Dexter. "Come on."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her, running inside and into the library. The room was narrow but eight stories high, the far wall completely taken up by an enormous window. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the library trees. Between the trees columns climbed seemingly endless bookshelves.

Dexter sat at a mirror station and began tapping at the glass.

"I helped the Evil Step-Librarians mirrorize the phone books during my programming glass. I should be able to cross-reference the most recent phone book with the oldest and see if we can find ant resident who was in both — aha! Look!"

On the mirror popped up one listing:

 _Old Man Winters  
231 Cobblers Alley  
Village of Book End_

"Old Man Winters is, like, two hundred years old, said Dexter. "If anyone can remember, it'll be this guy."

Raven smiled at Dexter. "Check you out, totally rocking the prince-to-rescue gig."

"What? No, I mean, I just had an idea, is all. That's not really me…"

Raven knocked him lightly with her shoulder. "You're hard on yourself aren't you? I get the feeling it isn't always easy to live with a perfect and popular brother. I think you need some better friends, Dex."

He looked at her, unblinking, considering. "If I do, will you be one?"

"You wanted to be my friend?" Raven said with a laugh. "That's not a frequent request I get from royals, especially not the closer we get to Legacy Day."

"Well, then let my request be the first," he said.

"I'd be _enchanted_ ," she said.

He laughed.

"But I don't want you to get too mixed up in my evilness, Dex. I'm willing to get in trouble, but you don't need to."

His brow wrinkled. "I can see there's no point in trying to talk you out of it. Be careful?"

"Always."

Raven said good-bye and walked silently down the hall toward the stairs, when she was interrupted by a voice: "Did you imagine I could find out your little secret?" Apple tucked her forefinger, almost a claw, out of her right hand into Russell's forehead, pushing him with the impact.

"My secret?!" exalted, Ramona contested. "You were my _friend_. Or I thought you were. And then you stopped talking to me like we were nothing." Her features transfigured, resembling the face of an infuriated fox. "What do you want from me?" he asked angrily.

Raven had never seen Russell so… so… red. His face had turned red, his veins became visible, and his teeth creaked hard enough to crush a nut between them. He was acting bravely, but Raven suddenly became acutely aware of something. His panic, his alarm, his dread was exposed. Everything lay so bare that for a second she felt sorry for him.

"Everyone has secrets, little red," replied Apple. "You're so disappointed that I discovered your little secret, right?" Apple continued with an air of pure confidence in herself. "Remember, protagonists do not mix with the bad girls. This is the law."

Raven teleported quickly to her bedroom. She pressed her forehead to the window. On the other side of the glass is the dim movement of water vegetation and shadowy water creatures. These creatures could be real quiet when they wanted to. It was difficult to look through the glass. It was so dirty she could barely see anything at all between the boards and the filth. The only thing she was completely sure of was that it would be dark soon. Lying on one of the walls, Raven thinking perhaps that her whole life she had taken the safe, easy way out and now she was wondering if that had been a mistake.

Then she heard the splintering of wood and breaking of metal as the door was kicked open with a loud crash. Ramona entered the room, furious, slammed the door in revolt, dropping a book that was on the table. She sat on an uncomfortable wooden chair, shrank into a fetal position. She was visibly shaken. Raven could see Ramon's hands, which were gathered up, clenched in front of her, shaking. She was crying like a child, incoherent with distress. Big round tears falling down her face.

"What happened?" Raven asked where she was speaking but nothing happened. There was no answer.

Soon began to emerge feelings of doubt and anxiety. Raven was waiting for a clear and certain answer as a no. Instead, she felt a cloud of confusion hovering over herself and a gale of fear. But her mind drove away the buzz, that inner noise that always sounds as annoying as static on the radio.

Raven looked into Ramona's large, dark blue eyes; they seemed to want to reveal something to her, but without much force to do so. They seemed to want to denounce a horrifying invasion, to denounce something that had seized her being, from within, which was now devouring her insides, not physically, but devouring her spirit, devouring her soul.

"I want you to trust me, Ramona. I want to know what's going on, even though I cannot help it. I just want you to know that you can count on me too. I'm also your friend."

Ramona breathed heavily and her eyes watered, but without shedding any tears.

"What I'm going to tell you, only my father knows, and now I'm going to put this big bad secret in your hands, one day if the agent will fight, discuss, I don't know, you cannot tell this to anyone, are you listening to me?"

Raven nodded.

"I'm dating Russell Ridinghood."

Raven laughed at what she had just heard. The laughter that began small was now a loud laughter. It was like she had just heard a joke that just lingered and then it was suddenly understood. It was a naughty laughter!

"Why are you laughing?" Ramona asked in a nervous voice.

"Everyone knows that something was going on between you. Well, not everyone. The royals, for example, didn't know."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't know it was a 'serious relationship' and besides, I respect your space."

"You know it is a weird situation. We didn't want anyone to know we were dating.

"I want details, how could you not keep your eyes from each other? What happened?"

"One autumn night I took a walk jaunt to meet some friends at a basketball game. The sky above was very starry bright and there seemed to me not a cloud in sight, so off I went without sans umbrella or coat, although what I probably needed was a boat cause the clouds came rolled in with a dragon's roar and shortly thereafter it began to pour, not a pleasant rain, good for plant and flower but a driving, unfriendly, cold hard icy shower. I was halfway between home with no shelter in sight or a way to get dry, the temperature came down with the rain and I could already see my breath. As the wind changed direction and for a brief moment and I caught the scent of strawberry and cherry shampoo, as I blinked through the tears and rain I could see him waving at me. I felt something happening change for me that night. No longer did I see him as just a prey that night, to me, he became something other. We have seen each other once since then. But only once and in circumstances that allowed for only brief conversation."

Raven met Ramona's gaze and seemed to study her for a long moment before she said, "You're not going to tell me more than this, are you?"

"Not yet," Ramona said. "Russell and I must talk before we do."

"So… despite all our talks together, you still do not trust me to keep silent."

"I'm revealing what I can, and I'm doing it. By my troth, although there is more to tell, my _not_ telling you has little to do with my trust in you and much to do with the fact that I don't want endanger you."

"I thought we were friends, but obviously we're _not_!"

Ramona looked down at her feet while hot color swept up her face. "We are!" said her helplessly.

"Then why won't you _talk_ to me? Why won't you tell me what's wrong so I can help you?"

"Here's the tea, Apple discovered this a few weeks ago, she's threaten him. She thinks that we can convince you to stay in the character."

"But you cannot!"

"Who would believe that a royal is threatening me?"

"You're right. What proof does she have?"

"None, but she doesn't need. A rumor here, another there. She could destroy my life. Our life. I would be ruined."

"I'll not let it happen. I may have some card in my sleeve that would help save your skin."

Raven got up from her seat and Ramona took her by the arm, "What will you do?"

"I need to think, this is very serious, I have to think about it calmly, because now my head is totally confused."

Raven left her dorm room towards the Village of Book End. She was very thoughtful about everything she knew and its consequences. She hadn't even reached the Troll Bridge, absorbed in her thoughts, when she heard someone call her.

"Ravenna Queen!" Apple was holding her skirt up to her knees to run faster. "Raven, I've been calling your name since the front doors of the school. Can't you hear me?"

"Sorry, I was lost in thought, I guess," said Raven, still walking.

"And I know what you were thinking about," said Apple, falling in beside her. "I know what you did in the headmaster's office. Raven, how could you?"

Raven stopped. "You know?"

Apple nodded.

"How?" Raven asked, squinting.

"I… uh… I was worried about you, and…"

"You were spying?"

Apple swallowed. "My dear, sweet friend–"

"You were _spying_?" Raven leaned back, shaking her head at the sky. "Is that why you threatened Ramona? So you could tattle on me to the headmaster?"

"No! Please, Raven, I've been concerned —"

Raven turned her back and started to walk again. "Just go and tell him. He's determined to ruin my life anyway."

"How can you even joke?" said Apple, hurrying after her. "Headmaster Grimm is the reason the Land of Ever After is place of peace and prosperity and perfectness! He is the kindest, smartest, the best person. Why, if it wasn't for him, the Evil Queen —"

Apple stopped.

"No, go ahead, say it," said Raven. "The Evil Queen would still be rampaging, bringing ruin and evil rule the kingdom in the land. I know what my mother is, Apple White. And that's how I know I definitely don't want to be her."

"You won't. You couldn't. You just need to play the part you've been given, Ravenna."

"Easy for you to say," said Raven. "You don't have to be a villain."

"There has to be a villain in every story — an antagonist, a big bad, someone to keep the heroine"— Apple splayed her hand on her chest — "from getting her Happily Ever After too quickly. I mean, without the antagonist, there would be no story! It'd be like: 'Once upon a time there was a girl who wanted to be loved, so she met a prince and got married and lived Happily Ever After, The End? BORING! That's not a story; that's a bumper sticker."

Apple was walking with so much purpose now Raven had jog to keep up.

"Every character matters. Can I help it if I was born to be the heroine? We all play the parts we're given — end of story."

"You wanna know what I got to say?"

Apple nodded

"Why do not you try telling Headmaster Grimm about Russell's dating with Ramona for you to see what happens? By the way, you should also report that you are having sex with the huntsman's son. I remembered. You couldn't. You only care about your reputation. You don't really care about me. And with this hair color," Raven said, running her hand through Apple's hair. "You could never be the next Snow White."

Apple's face was turning red, her eyes filled with tears. It fell, first one and then another. She began screaming, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault."

"How can you say it's my fault? Don't blame me. Don't try to put the blame on me. It's not my fault that your twin was born seconds earlier than you."

"I have a mission, and I embraced it completely. I've a good reason to. I'll fight for my fairy tale."

"Well, I wish you luck. I will never stop you from fighting but don't count on me to fight back. Please understand," said Raven. "I need to know what happened to Bella Sister when she didn't sigh. I can't sign until I'm absolutely sure it's the only reasonable choice."

" _Who dares to cross my bridge?_ " came a throaty voice from down below.

"An innocent girl with no ill intent," Apple and Raven recited automatically.

" _Leave the toll and be quick!_ " shouted the troll.

Raven disappeared in a purple smoke, leaving Apple alone in the bridge. She walked alone back to the castle. Her mind came back that day as in the many times she was alone.

When Apple and her twin were six years old, they had fallen down a well. They'd been chasing a butterfly and climbed onto the well's edge. Then… a seemingly endless fall that ended in a freezing splash, struggle and gasp for life. She treaded water, her heavy petticoats pulling her down. She didn't have the breath to either scream or sing for help. It was the first time in her life that she'd ever felt alone. Or cold. Or really, truly scared.

Every night before bed, her mother had told her a story that should have been frightening: _Scary Evil Queen. Huntsman ordered to cut out his heart. Lost in dark woods with grabby trees. Dwarves, dwarves, more dwarves. Old peddler lady giving him a strangling ribbon. Old peddler lady giving him a poisoned comb. Old peddler lady giving him a poisoned apple. Crunch. Gasp. Faint (beautifully). Dead sleep. Cold glass coffin. Empty dreams. Then… kiss. Wake. Prince! Cheering dwarves. Huge choreographed dance number. Happily Ever After._

Even the scary pants of the Snow White story never scared Apple because it was known. It was her mother's and her twin brother's story. Her mother assured them that one day that same story would be his.

She was pleased for her brother. No, she wasn't! She was jealous and not just a little jealous, but outright furious with it. And now she felt guilty for feeling so jealous.

Treading cold water in the well, feeling her legs tire, her face starts to sink under, the cruel, smooth walls slick to her grasping fingers, six-year-old Apple changed. She realized that the real world as much, much, much scarier than any fairytale. Only in her own story would she be safe.

It took two minutes for her servants, her parents, and a horde of woodland creatures to find her and pull her out of well. Two long minutes which make his brother to be killed by hypothermia and to be buried at the bottom of the well. By the time she was wrapped up in fifteen blankets before a fire, worried bunnies huddled on her lap, shoulders, and head, Apple had made an important decision. She wanted her story. She wanted it ASAP. The sooner she was in the nice, safe, familiar tale — poisoned fruit and all — the better.

Her story wouldn't happen without Ravenna. So Apple had to help Raven onto the right path. And if that didn't work, she'd _make_ her.


	15. Fruit of the Forbidden Tree

_And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die._

 **A FEW WEEKS BEFORE**

The curtains added an orange glow to the morning light, every morning a perfect sunrise. It reminded her of the times she slept in a beach hut, watching the ocean emerge under the golden shimmer. For a moment her mind conjured the rhythmic waves, soft on the sandy shore and felt her heart beat to the same slow pace. She breathed deeply. A new day has begun. She reached her hand out to the fabric, noticing how up close the light penetrates through every open space between the fibers, no different from how it once came through the beach-hut walls, illuminating like brilliant fire-flies each dawn. The material was warm under her fingers, and when the sun floods the room, painting the colors anew, she felt a little of those golden rays soak into her skin.

An exalted chorus of birds broke the comfortable silence. The birds spun in the air and fired in frenzied flights across the garden before disappearing into the trees, where, for the first time in weeks, the twigs twitched and the leaves trembled. She knew it was too early to wake up, but she waited for this day for so long. She dreamed of this year since she was a little nursery rhyme.

On Legacy Day, she would unlock the Storybook of Legends and declare her destiny. It was royally magical, not only because she started the path to her first chapter as Snow White, but they had a totally wicked dance that was the tale of school every year. It was a spellabration! It was a fabulous future filled with friendly dwarfs, her very own Prince Charming, and a magical wedding that ended with a big musical number and everyone in the kingdom knowing all the words! Still, she never took her prewritten legacy for granted. That was why she studied hard at Ever After High. There was a lot of pressure when you were next in line to be "The Fairest of Them All".

Apple White was so happy at this moment she didn't want to move him, afraid he would jinx her. She had invited him over for dinner last night, cooking him her best dish, schnitzel and apple strudel. They had a romantic dinner, danced to some sexy music in her living room, he gave her some ecstasy, and then made love to her. It had been a perfect night. He had scooped her up in his arms, she had wrapped her arms and legs around him letting him carry her to her bedroom. He stumbled once on the way.

She lay there with him in her bed. She was thinking about their night, wondering if this was more than just sex. She looked at him. He was so gorgeous and he slept so peacefully. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and snuggle, but she was insecure about their relationship. She just didn't know if it mean more to her than it did to him.

She finally slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and dressed in a robe of red satin. She walked barefoot on the soft carpet toward the bathroom. She tied her hair in a handy ponytail. She dipped a cloth in the sink and washed her face and neck.

The shower didn't last long and by the time she slipped back into her bedroom Hunter Huntsman was already stood there tall, at about six feet two, rugged and handsome ready for action. He was a lumberjack type, with big hands and a burly muscular body that was well toned, the exact opposite of Daring Charming.

"There's one thing that doesn't change, you still fairest when you wake up in the morning." He said in a voice that was warm and rich and deep… the voice of seduction.

It seemed that he spoke sincerely, and without thinking about what he was doing, she gave him a kiss. At first he seemed a little suspicious, but he seemed to like her taking the initiative. He did not move as she kissed his mouth.

Slowly, they finished the kiss and he gently hugged her, as if she were a precious piece of crystal he feared to break. He looked at her from top to bottom, almost as if he were seeing her for the first time. He sighed, kissing her forehead and turned, heading toward the huge windows. He jumped from an impressive height meters ahead fading into the vegetation.

Apple thought the time when they met. On the last day of summer break, she was starting to packing for school and got distracted with helping woodland creatures. She stopped packing and went outside to check on a sad bunny, but soon other creatures needed her help.

Just when she was headed home, one mother bird cries out because her nest had fallen and the chicks were on the ground. She immediately works to fix the broken nest. Suddenly, all the animals around her begin talking about a boy coming through the woods. She couldn't hear him, and thought it best not to look since he didn't want to be seen, but Apple's curiosity got the better of her.

He had made what looked like a little wooden birdhouse, painted bright red — a small, redroofed painted box perched on a wooden pillar hung with beads, with a clay bowl inside it. From that day on she began to see him with other eyes, a kind of respect. And yes, it was true that they didn't know each other very well, but in view of the short time they had been together, things have gone a great deal too far.

As he walked she back to her house, they discovered how much they have in common! They loved nature, they were both vegans... Apple was totally throne for a loop! Hunter wasn't some big ogre. He was totally charming!

They got back to the castle way too soon. Apple could have talked with Hunter forever after! He put his hands in his pockets. She twirled her hair, when she realized, "Oh no! My ring! My family ring! It must have fallen off!"

Hunter inhaled deeply, "Maybe we could... I mean, I know it's against school rules, but... if it's in the forest, a picnic is fun... Maybe we could find it... the ring, not the forest. I didn't—" Was he asking Apple out on a picnic?! Her heart raced, and her throat went dry, "Hunter, I'd love to."

His eyes widened, "Really?! I mean... cool." He put his finger to his mouth, bit his bottom lip, then finally said, "Hext you later," and sped away in the other direction.

She couldn't believe it! The day totally flipped the script! Hunter's a fairytale dream come true. She rushed home after realizing it was nightfall already, but to her surprise, the animals she had helped were all in her room, and her trunk was packed. She thanked them, and spent the night imagining the lumberjack in the woods who was full of humble, good intentions. It made her heart pound, even though she always knew she'd have to marry some prince someday, but this was what she needed though, some adventure, some risk, some danger.

She opened the red silk curtains even wider to let in all that buttery sunshine. Her bedroom was started to bustling with servants in matching white uniforms, dwarves running errands, and friendly woodland creatures. A northern cardinal hovered before Apple, a red slipper in its beak. It cocked its head to one side as if asking a question.

"Yes, pack that one," said Apple. "In fact, let's just pack all my shoes, shall we?"

The squirrels rustling across the floor squeaked in unison. They began carrying shoes from the closet and depositing them in an open trunk as if storing nuts for the winter.

"Not the blue ones," Apple called to a bluebird in her sock drawer. "The white ones, if you please!"

Apple's MirrorPhone played a measure of One Reflection's single 'You Don't Know You're Charming' to announce she'd received another hext message. This one was from Briar Rose Beauty. Apple typed with one hand while brushing her blond curls with the other. Her hair never seemed to need brushing, but she was an overachiever.

 **BRIAR:** Apple! When will you get to Ever After High?

 **APPLE:** My father is prepping the Hybrid Carriage now. I should be there in a few short hours.

 **BRIAR:** Hexcellent. Am planning a Book-to- School party. Going to be a page ripper!

 **APPLE:** I'm there. Charm you later!

"Snoozy! Snappy!" Apple called to her dwarf lackeys. "The first four trunks are ready to go. Would you be so kind as to carry them down? You, too, Pouty — don't you stick out that bottom lip, you silly."

"My name's not Pouty," Frank said poutily.

"Careful with that end, Sloppy!" Apple said cheerily.

"My name is Phil," Sloppy grumbled.

Apple laughed. "You sillies!"

She patted their heads, and they couldn't help but smile. Who could hold back a smile when looking at Apple White?

The sounds of cheering floated in through her window. Apple stepped onto her balcony, and the cheering grew louder. In the courtyard below, hundreds of men, women, and children from the village had gathered, many wearing I 3 Apple T-shirts.

"My dear subjects, you are simply, unquestionably perfect!" she called out, tossing candy and coins to the crowd. She kept a candy-and-coin basket on the balcony so she would be ready for adoring crowds at a moment's notice.

"No, _you_ are perfect!" someone shouted, and the cheering renewed.

She pressed her hand to her heart. The whole world was so perfectly splendid she could just burst!

Above Apple, some birds carried a long pink ribbon in their beaks. A message was stitched across the satin ribbon: we love you, Apple! Embrace your destiny!

 _Destiny._ She was beginning her Legacy Year, the first step in the journey to achieve her own Happily Ever After. Apple could hardly wait.

Apple strode down to the courtyard, where her parents waited like a portrait of the ideal king and queen. Her mother's beauty was known throughout the land, and her story was known even beyond that. Her heart-shaped face had a warm compassionate look with blue eyes as the sky on a frosty winter morning, instead of green like others, ruby-red lips pressed against her flawlessly fair complexion and hair as threads of fine ebony silk for softness and brightness. It was loose and flowing and fell over her shoulders with bangs that parted to each side of her face.

She was dressed in a simple, strapless white silk dress that cut straight across the bust. The long ruby earrings, dangling from her exposed ears, matched the teardrop ruby necklace that graced her long, slender neck and a pair of passionate red stilettos, with glass heels, an absolute delight from Glass Slipper Shoe Store by Cinderella.

Snow White was the well-known fairytale character first appearing in the stories of the Brothers Grimm, who escaped her evil stepmother by going into hiding with the Seven Dwarfs and ate the poisoned apple that put her into a deep sleep until a prince came and woke her with a kiss. Now, Snow White had married her prince and rules as queen. She acted as the true ruling monarch of Avalon and always had the well-being of her kingdom in mind. Her subjects looked to her as a gentle and graceful ruler, who governed with kindness and fairness. She also was a very powerful royal executive. She employed over 7 HUNDRED dwarves!

Her father, King Charles Charming, stood beside his wife, one hand on his sword hilt, always ready to do battle. He was the well-known fairy tale character also named 'Prince Charming' from the fairy tale _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ , who claim to fame had been falling in love with a comatose girl inside a glass coffin and awaken her from the death-like sleep with a true-love kiss.

Despite this, he, along with his wife, did much more than was written in his fairy tale. They fought together in the First Magic War. It marked the reign of the Evil Queen. This reign took place at the height of her power and caused widespread panic and fear among the fairy tale community by overstepping her story's boundaries and trying to take over all of the kingdoms in Ever After. With great effort, she was captured and imprisoned in a prison-like dimension made of mirrors where the supposedly most evil beings were kept, secretly.

The King was exceptionally tall and exceptionally handsome, and only had to walk into a room to dominate the assembly of people. His skin was deeply golden, the color of apple cider in the sun, contrast to the mass of lazy, dirty blond curls and ringlets, which was parted in the middle, crowned a finely chiseled face and square jaw. His beautiful eyes were a bluish-greenish mix that never seemed to focus on one thing for very long.

He was dressed in a brilliant red doublet with gold colored adornments and gold apples-like buttons, belted around his waist, and red knee-length leather boots with white leather pants tucked neatly into their tops.

"This is a royally important year," said her mother as she helped Apple into the Hybrid Carriage. Her voice was high and a little squeaky, as if all that time spent lost in the woods with squirrels had taken its toll. "I am so proud of you. I know you will prepare yourself to be the perfect Snow White."

Her father didn't say anything. He brought his hand up to her face. It was a soft and warm hand. He just looked into her eyes and nodded. His eyes conveyed, at least to Apple, at least at that moment, a peace and a serenity she never found or would meet in the eyes of another.

The maids, servants, guards, and dwarves in the huge Hybrid Carriage all nodded. Apple blushed. They must have noticed how dedicated she was to her subjects, how hard she had been studying Kingdom Management, and all the time she put into preparing to be a queen.

 **CURRENT DAYS**

Apple had a flashback when she arrived in her dorm after the mirrored conversation with Ravenna Queen. Now she was looking at the great tapestry of her family. She read the names of all of them. Arriving at her great-grandmother's name, _Pearl the Fortunate_ , her grandfather's name, _Adam_ _the Good King_ , her mother's name, _Helen_ _the Peacemaker_ , which splits into two branches, the tallest one was his twin brother, _Narcissus the Perfect Prince,_ and the lowest was hers, which was not woven. She would only know her title when she signed the Storybook of Legends.

Their family lineage seemed predominantly composed of females. As long as the male Whites existed, they were noticeably fewer numbers, in reality only two, her grandfather and her brother, but like his namesake, who was a handsome young man known for his beauty, he was fascinated by the reflection of himself. He couldn't get the object of his desire, and he died drowned in his sadness.

She remembered her mother's words weeks after that: "Apple you're my only hope, I spent hours, days, weeks trying to find some way out and nothing went right, all my bets failed, I remembered you one night while slept and was sure it was a warning."

Her mind wandered back and forth from the future to the present, making it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Now she needed to focus, not foolish daydreams. She had to keep her mind and wit sharp. She had to do something. She raced down to the faculty dining room.

Baba Yaga was there. Alone. Except for a troop of Shoemaker's Elves. As small as mice and dressed tiny shirts, pants, and caps, they squeaked happily to one another and scurried around the counter making sandwiches. But Apple didn't really count them as company. Shoemaker's Elves were notoriously bad at conversation.

"Pardon me, Madam Baba Yaga, do you know if the headmaster is coming here for dinner?" Apple tried to smile, but it wrinkled her nose. A cockroach appeared to be making a leisurely journey through Baba Yaga's long gray hair.

"I believe he is, at the moment, catapulting cabbages over a wall. You could wait." Baba Yaga spoke the words like a challenge, one eyebrow raised.

Apple would take that challenge. She sat primly on a chair, her hands folded in her lap. Her ankles crossed.

Baba Yaga stared at her. Apple stared at the clock. The _tick-tick-ticks_ seemed to come minutes apart.

"You don't have black hair," Baba Yaga said suddenly.

Apple sighed. "No, I don't." The older generation just couldn't let the blond-hair thin go.

"Your mother had black hair. It was part of the story, Show-white skin, ebony-black hair, blood-red lips."

"I guess when it's my story, that part will change, since I was born a blond."

"No! A fairy tale does not bend for its character, the character that bends for the fairy tale." Baba Yaga leaned forward and said, "I find you extremely disappointing."

Apple swallowed. She decided she preferred Baba Yaga's stares to Baba Yaga's conversation. Apple was glad this old witch wasn't her advisor. Poor, Ravenna! Of Course, everything wasn't roses and peaches for Apple, either. The advisor of the princesses, Wonderland's White Queen, insisted they address her as "Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen" at all times and made them imagine six impossible thins before every Crownculus class.

Headmaster Grimm entered the faculty dining room, and was it Apple's imagination, or did the lights grow brighter?

"Apple White! How lovely to see you, Your Highness. Would you care for a sandwich?" A dozen Shoemaker's Elves lifted a plate above their heads, offering it to Apple. Between two slices of bread, she could see a whole fish, pickles, and a thick layer of grape jelly.

"I… uh…"

"Just ate, perhaps? I understand." The Headmaster whispered. "The Shoemaker's Elves are better at making shoes than sandwiches."

Apple smiled kindly at the wee little creatures as they lifted a huge turkey leg on a crane made of chopsticks and lowered it onto peanut butter toast.

"Looks fine to me," said Baba Yaga, digging a spoon into a ham sandwich that was sopping with milk.

"Headmaster, I came because… well, I'm concerned about Ravenna Queen."

Baba Yaga looked up from her sandwich to glare again at Apple. A fat bead of mil dripped oof wart on her chin.

"Headmaster, could we talk in private?"

"Certainly, Your Highness," he said. "Let's go to my office."

She hadn't planned on telling Headmaster Grimm about the breaking-and-entering part. She didn't want to her Raven so deeply in trouble she would be expelled from Ever After High! What would happen to their shared story then?

He put his key into the lock, turning it. He opened the door and gestured her to a plush student throne and sat in his own grand chair behind his desk.

"You were saying…"

Apple cleared her throat. "I have reason to believe that Ravenna… that she… that she's actually thinking about _not_ signing the Storybook of Legends at all."

Headmaster Grimm's creased as if he were in great pain. "I feared that might be the case. Oh, to have stewardship of the young and have to watch them make foolish, dangerous mistakes! It pains this old heart, my dear."

Apple nodded, her eyes tearing up in sympathy.

"Does she realize — does she truly understand — that if she does not sign, she will simply cease to exist?" Asked Headmaster Grimm. "And your story, Apple White, your story, too, unravels without an Evil Queen. I wish I could simply force students to make wise choices, but that is impossible. I am shackled; I'm afraid, able to only offer counsel and guidance."

His voice sounded so heavy and full of pain. Apple's eye released one tender tear.

Raven was a sweet girl, but Apple never imagined her not wanting to be the next Evil Queen. If Apple was reading Headmaster Grimm right, he's afraid she wouldn't pledge her destiny. And if she didn't, she was in danger of vanishing from memory! Not only was she endangering herself, but she also put the destinies of her, Daring and so many others in danger.

"I want to you to know, Headmaster, that I'll do everything I can to keep Ravenna on the right path. Everything."

"That is a comfort," Headmaster Grimm said with a sad smile. "I'm glad you take this matter as seriously as I do. Ravenna _will_ be brought to the light. How could she not, with a friend such as yourself? As you will one day be a noble and clever queen to your subjects, Apple White, I know you will be a noble and clever friend to Ravenna."

Apple beamed. He understood her! He'd noticed her tireless work in the Royal Student Council and hours she spent checking in with even the smallest of students. Headmaster Grimm, at the least, saw potential in her beyond just a pretty face. She would not let him down.

With a hearty farewell, Apple practically skipped out his office. She had a mission, and she embraced it completely she had good reason to.

Apple turned her face to the window and started on its way. The yelling voices echoed in the air.

"Just look at her eyes, her skin," whispered one of her maids.

"I did not think it possible," a groomsman whispered back, "but she is becoming even more beautiful than her mother."

"So beautiful," said a manservant. "The _perfect_ Snow White."

"Well, except for the hair. A shame she was born blond."

Apple winced.

"I think her blond hair is even lovelier than her mother's black hair."

"How can you? The fairytale specifies 'hair like ebony'—"

"Listen, the hair doesn't matter. Her eyes, her nose, those lips, that profile! She is the definition of beauty."

Was that all everyone saw in her? A perfect profile? A beauty like her mother? No matter what she did, there was no where she could hide from the thoughts in her head. Surely being Snow White meant more than just looking pretty and having black hair.

Apple wanted to be responsible. She wanted to think of Raven and Hunter's good. She wanted to think about her school and to act in a professional, calm and sensible way but part of her wanted to rebel against all this. Despite her charming father, her fairest mother, her ambitious plans for Avalon, part of her wanted to switch the script of her life, in the way she suspected Raven would do if her roles were changed.

A small part of her forced her to be strong, to stand and fight. A small part of her knew that she had strength and that she needed to be strong not only for herself but for others as well. She could not escape her fears; she could very well die facing them, so at least she would die with honor. After all, she was the daughter of queen and the royal blood flowed in her veins.

Legacy Year would be the beginning of her story but she didn't just want to prove that she was pretty enough to be a queen, black hair or blond. She wanted to prove she could rule like one. She wanted to save Ravenna Queen. Some people may have thought it odd for a princess to be friends with an evil sorceress, but if she could help Raven see the light it would all be worth it. But that's a story for another day.


End file.
